Everything Has Changed
by enchanted-nova
Summary: Ino Yamanaka and Shikamaru Nara had been friends since they were in diapers. They were just teammates, just friends, and nothing more. Now they've grown up and they suddenly realize that they don't know each other as well as they think. From friendship blossoms beautiful romances.
1. Ino

**Ino**

Ino was in the green house of her parent's flower shop. Water can in hand, she was showering the vibrantly colored flowers. Spring time was upon them and everything looked so beautiful. Her blonde haired waved around as she spun around, going from pot to pot, humming a little tune as she did so. The war had ended four years ago and life seemed to finally be straightening itself out.

The blue-eyed girl smiled once she had finished watering all the plants and walked out. She went to the front of the shop where her mother was speaking to a customer. Deciding not to disturb them, Ino went over to the work bench and began to work on a bouquet. Her hands delicately moved on the silky petals of the tiger lilies she was handling. They were so beautiful and alluring, no one would be able to not stare at them as they passed by.

Humming, Ino cut the ends of the stems with some scissors and started strategically placing them in the crystal vase. A few tiger lilies, a couple of white roses, a few pieces of baby's breath, and a couple of yellow and pink carnations. Once they were situated in the lovely crystal vase, Ino took a sheer lavender ribbon and tied it onto the neck of the vase. Pushing it back to admire her work, she nodded and sighed softly.

Just as she was about to start on another bouquet, the front door bells jingled. Ino put a smile on her face and turned around, wiping her hand on the lavender apron around her narrow waist. When she came around a few of the shelf displays, Ino tilted her head when she saw Naruto looking around like he was completely lost. Chuckling a bit, Ino walked up to the blond and greeted him with a cheeky grin.

"What is the Hokage-in-training, doing in my families little flower shop?" Ino asked, wiggling her brows. Naruto looked up from the shelf of flower displays and rubbed the back of his neck. Ino could see he was nervous based on his gestures, tenseness, and nervous laughter. "Shopping for someone, Naruto?" Ino inquired with a softened smile, trying to take some of the pressure off of him.

The blond knucklehead was the hero of the village and the savior of the ninja world. He hadn't changed at all though, he was the goofy kid with a heart of gold. Ino was happy about that though, over time she grew to like Naruto for who he was. He was older now and a bit more mature, but every now and then he slipped up and went back to his jokester self. At the end of the day though, everyone enjoyed that about Naruto, he always gave them something to smile about.

"I have no idea what i'm doing, I think I'm just gonna go," Naruto explained and was about to head back to the glass door, but Ino grabbed his arm and pulled him back. She looked him in the eye and told him to explain why he'd come to the flower shop. Taking in a deep breath, Naruto let it out and said, "I wanted to get something for someone."

"Oh? Who?" Ino asked, she loved this kind of thing. This was why she helped out in the shop as much as she did, she loved the romantic stories she got to hear. In fact, in the office, Ino had a collection of copies from cards that people asked to add to the bouquets. She loved to read them, it made her heart flutter and it made her believed that true love did exist. Brushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, Ino looked at Naruto expectantly.

"Uh...well...um," Naruto stumbled over his words, causing Ino to giggle a bit. Naruto was not the first man to come in here at a total loss for words. On several occasions Asuma had come in there stumbling over his own words. There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't miss her old sensei. She'd seen it all, men who blabbed all there feelings out to those who were closed book. "She...she's been...she's been on a mission...and I wanted to, uh...do something nice...for when she got...back, here to the village." Naruto's cheek were turning red and Ino was surprised to see him so flustered, he never worried over girls before. She'd known the boy since they were children and now at twenty years old he sound like a fumbling baboon.

"Who is this girl, Naruto?" Ino asked, she had an idea, but she just wanted to hear him say it. Whenever guys came in like this, Ino figured the more they opened up the less nervous they would be later.

"Her name?" Naruto asked and Ino stared at him with a big smile on her face. "Her name is..." he trailed off and started looking around the shop, walking around like a lost puppy. Ino tilted her head and followed after her.

"Come on, don't be shy," Ino encouraged, crossing her arms over her chest, her smile never leaving her lips.

"Okay!" Naruto replied, taking inhaling deeply and slowly exhaled, meeting Ino's joyous gaze. "It's for...Sakura."

"I have the perfect thing," Ino said, waving for him to follow her towards the back of the shop. The boy in the black and orange jacket followed Ino to a table that was covered with flowers and had stacks of ribbons on one end. His blue eyes looked about at the collection of flowers and he suddenly wondered what Ino had planned. "If I know Sakura, she'll want something simple, but beautiful."

Naruto nodded his head as Ino reached for a small pink and white polka dot metal bucket. He watched as Ino in some water followed by some sort of powder. Taking a set on one of the metal stools beside Ino, he tilted his head a bit as she started walking around the table, gathering different flowers.

"So what do you want this bouquet to mean?" Ino asked, glancing at Naruto as she pulled a couple of orchids from a black bucket filled with water.

"What do I want it to mean?" Naruto inquired, not understanding what the blonde girl was getting at. She had a various assortment of flowers and buds in her arms as she came back over to him. As she took a seat on the stool beside him, Ino smiled and put the flowers down in front of them.

"Flowers have a language," Ino began as she reached for a simple silk white ribbon, "The colors, the type, they all mean something."

"I had no idea," Naruto said, leaning on the table. "I want it to mean...I thought about her and I...um, love her." He was staring down at the ground and his face was bright red, Ino chuckled a bit. Normally Naruto was so out there and exciting, but right now he was falling apart and mumbling and acting like...Hinata.

"I love my job," Ino said with a smile as she reached for a few red roses. "Love," she said with a smile, placing the flowers into the little bucket. Her hand reached for some white and yellow zinnia and said, "thoughts of friends." She placed those in next, surrounding the four red roses with a circle of yellow, white, yellow, white.

Naruto nodded and looked up at Ino as she stood up and wandered up to the front of the shop. When she came back up, she had two branches covered in light pink blossoms and buds.

"Begonia branches stand for deep thoughts," Ino explained as she stuck on on the right side and the other on the left. It was really coming together and Naruto smiled, he knew Sakura would love it. "Now we'll finish it with a few pieces of forget-me-not's and some baby's breath." Nodding, Ino finished the bouquet and grabbed the white ribbon, tying it around the bucket.

"It looks great, Ino," Naruto remarked, nodding his head in approval. Ino laughed lightly and got up, heading into the office just around the table. She came back seconds later with a little square card and a pen. "What's this?" he asked as she placed them down on the table and pushed it towards him.

"You have to write her something, you can't send this masterpiece to her and say nothing at all," Ino explained to him.

"I can't do that," Naruto croaked, completely nervous. Ino placed her hands on her hips and eyed him curiously. "I don't even know how to give it to her." He shook his head and pursed his lips.

"I can handle that," Ino said with a wink. "Only if you write something though." She pointed to the card and pen. Naruto's eyes looked down at the little white card and back up at the blonde girl. Nodding her head, she encouraged him to written anything. Pressing his lips together in a firm line, Naruto pulled the card and pen closer to him.

"Okay, here." Naruto wrote something and handed it over to Ino. She smiled and looked at the card and read it, her smile quickly faded and she looked at him in disbelief.

"From Naruto, that's the best you got?" Ino questioned, rolling her eyes.

"I really mean it," Naruto joked with a smile, laughing a bit. Ino shook her head, went into the office and grabbed a couple more cards. She put them down on the table and pushed them towards them. Huffing, Naruto knew Ino wouldn't let him get away without saying something cheesy and lovey-dovey, she thrived on that kind of stuff. He liked to think of himself as a romantic guy, but he just didn't know how to get it out.

"Come on, Naruto, what have you been wanting to say to her? She left like a month ago," Ino said, taking a seat on the chair beside him. He looked at her and licked his lips, turning his attention back to the card. Sakura had gone to Suna for a month to help train some medical ninja, she would be back later tonight and was back to work at the hospital tomorrow afternoon. After the war, Naruto and Sakura had this special bond, one that he ignored for so long, but after a few years had past, he couldn't ignore those feelings any longer.

He wanted Sakura to know how he felt, but he wanted her to see his face and hear his voice when he did. Biting his lip, Naruto tried to think and thats when it hit him. Waving his pen at Ino, he quickly wrote something down and handed it to Ino. She took hold of the card and lifted it up to read it.

"Aw, this is more like it," Ino acknowledged, holding the card up. She tapped Naruto on the nose with it and grabbed a little clear plastic stand and attached it to the little bucket. "I'll have it delivered to her tomorrow during her break." She grabbed a yellow notepad and scribbled down a note for herself to send the flowers to Sakura.

"Thanks, Ino," Naruto said and she smiled, waving the matter off and brought him over to the register. She rung up the total and Naruto gave her the money. "I'm nervous." He rubbed the back of his neck and bit his lip.

"Don't be, she'll love it," Ino assured him with a wink. She came around the counter and placed a hand on his shoulder. Nodding his head, Naruto quickly hugged her, knowing that he never would have been able to get something so perfect for Sakura if it was for her. She laughed a bit and hugged him back.

"Ahem! I hate to ruin the moment, but the Fifth is throwing a fit," Sasuke Uchiha said, walking into the flower shop. He had his hands shoved into the pocket of his pants with a bored expression on his face. Ino and Naruto pulled apart and looked at the Uchiha. "Come on, Naruto I'm tired of being yelled at." Waving for Naruto to follow, Sasuke walked back out of the shop, waiting out by the street.

After the war, Sasuke had come back to the village, but not without being chastised. Despite the fact he helped stop Obito and Madara, people still didn't really trust him. He was put under a lot of scrutiny, Lady Tsunade had a constant watch on him for an entire year, ANBU were constantly monitoring his every move. Naruto and Sakura slowly rebuilt their friendship with him and after a few months it was like he had never left. After a year of constant surveillance and house arrest, Sasuke was allowed to travel about the village with a four man ANBU squad. After another year, Sasuke was allowed to start training again with Kakashi and Naruto. It wasn't until a few months ago that Sasuke was reinstated as a ninja and was allowed to leave the village.

His current mission, baby sitting Naruto.

"Better go, thanks again, Ino," Naruto stated, waving to the girl as he ran out the front door. Ino watched Sasuke and Naruto head down the road back towards the Hokage Tower and chuckled a bit.

"Oi Ino!" a raspy voice called out. Brushing her fringe behind her ear, Ino turned around on the front porch and smiled as Shikamaru and Chouji came walking up. "We're about to get some BBQ for lunch, want to come?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes, absolutely, I'm starving and I know it'll be free," Ino giggled and Shikamaru raised brow.

"Free?" he mumbled, rolling his hazel eyes. The blonde girl ran inside the shop to take off her apron and tell her mom she was going to grab some lunch. Chouji stood beside Shikamaru chuckling a bit as he munched on his potato chips. "I never recall saying I was paying for her."

"We've been friends with Ino for how long? Come on, we always buy her lunch." Chouji shrugged his shoulders and tossed a handful of chips into his mouth, chewing loudly.

"We? No I always pay for her, there is no we, just me," Shikamaru correct with a wave of his finger. Chouji laughed again at the lazy genius beside him. Ino came out moments later with her hair out of it's bun and now in a sleek ponytail that reached her lower back. She skipped over to the two boys and looped her arms through theirs.

"Come on boys, I'm starved," she said, tugging them along.

Shikamaru glanced down at the girl, he hadn't realized he had gotten so much taller than her. He could see straight across her head to Chouji, who was just a couple inches shorter than himself. Though several years had come and gone since the war, they all had grown up and changed, but in the ways that mattered they were the same. Ino had grown into a wonderful young woman, Chouji had finally found the confidence in himself and trained all the time, and then there was him. Shikamaru had been promoted to jounin and was Chief Tactician of the Hidden Leaf.

"So Shikamaru, where have you been lately?" Ino asked, snapping the pineapple head from his thoughts.

"What do you mean?" he asked the blonde, looking down at her.

"I haven't seen you all week, I was getting worried."

"Aw, you do care," Shikamaru quipped and Ino playfully hit him, causing him to laugh.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This story is inspired by Taylor Swift's song _Everything Has Changed, _hence the title of the story_, _I know the InoShika pairing isn't very popular, but I think they are cute together and I had been wanting to write a story for just the two of them for a while now, so when I heard Taylor Swift's song, I thought it summarized how their relationship would be. In any case, I really hope you all enjoyed this first chapter and I am already working on the second one. Please leave your feedback or suggestions, I'd love to read them! Tata for now!


	2. Butterflies

**Butterflies**

"Well, I'm off to train, thanks for lunch Shikamaru, see you two later!" Chouji waved as he walked off in the direction of the training grounds. Ino waved back at him and turned around to look at Shikamaru, standing with his hands in his pockets and eyes up, watching the clouds. Rolling her blue eyes, Ino nudged him and he looked down at her. Nodding in the direction of the flower shop, Ino started walking and he followed behind her.

He hardly had the time to be lazy anymore and he missed it quite a bit. The good old days when he could lay in the grass, put his hands behind his head, and watch the clouds slowly floating by. When he was younger he chose to be a ninja for a simple easy life, but it didn't take long for him to realize it wasn't easy at all. In fact, it came with way more responsibility than he ever thought it would. All the ideals he had were changed now, instead of being a lazy young man, he was a workaholic and never had much free time.

If Shikamaru wasn't off doing missions for the Hokage or helping in political matters or training with Chouji or with Kurenai and her little one, he was probably off having a nap somewhere. Shikamaru was just a busy guy and he really hated it.

"Are you listening to me?" Ino inquired, poking Shikamaru's cheek. He flinched a bit and looked at her slightly confused, causing her to huff and roll her eyes. "What's up with you?"

"Sorry, I'm just tired I guess," Shikamaru explained, yawning a bit and stretching his arms up above his head. Ino shook her head and looped her arms through his the second he put it down. He glanced at her and shrugged, Ino was close to him and he to her. They had become great friends since they were first put into a genin team together, of course even before then during their academy days they were friends too. Granted it consisted of Ino bossing them around and picking on them, but he still liked her despite her troublesome attitude. "So what were you saying?" he asked as they continued walking down the road.

"Naruto came into the shop today, he was buying flowers for Sakura," Ino told him with stars in her eyes. He knew Ino always loved that romantic stuff, he on the other had was highly confused by it all, so he tended to shy away from such things. "Who would have thought that Naruto and Forehead would end up together." She giggled a bit and shook her head.

"He got her flowers and that means they are getting together?" Shikamaru questioned, slightly confused by how getting flowers was any sort of significance. The genius didn't have a romantic bone in his entire body though, so he assumed that's why he wasn't understanding what his childhood friend was gushing for.

"Have you seen those two?"

"Haven't noticed anything really," Shikamaru replied with a shrug.

"Oh come on, the way he looks at her and the way she blushes when he's around, they are so in love," Ino ranted, throwing her arms up. Shikamaru pursed his lips and nodded, deciding to keep silent and just take Ino's word for it. "They are so lucky, finding that special someone. I wish that would happen to me." Ino was staring down at the ground as they walked and Shikamaru rolled his eyes, Ino was the biggest hopeless romantic he'd ever known.

Ino was a beautiful girl, no one could deny that. She was bossy and a bit of a brat sometimes, but beneath all that was a caring and devoted young woman. All her life she wanted to find her knight in shining armor and when they were kids it was always, Sasuke this and Sasuke that, but now she could careless about him. In a way, Shikamaru was glad, he believed she could do way better than Sasuke Uchiha, plus he'd hate to see her made into a plain old house wife.

"You'll find someone," Shikamaru reassured her, putting his arm around her slender shoulders.

Ino placed her hand on top of Shikamaru's and he glanced at her hand on top of his. It was so soft, warm, and comforting. She looked up at him and smiled, nodding her head once. Ino sighed softly and giggled a bit, "I don't know why, but I just remembered when we were kids and we were playing in your backyard and I dared you to kiss me, do you remember that?" Ino asked, shaking her head at the memory.

"I remember you running away when I tried," Shikamaru jested with a roll of his eyes. "You weren't very nice back then...oh, who am I kidding, you're not very nice now either." Ino gasped and slipped out from under his hold and playfully shoved him. He laughed a bit and nearly stumbled over his feet, but managed to keep his balance.

"Oh whatever," Ino sassed and stopped walking once they were in front of the flower shop. She looked up at Shikamaru and found herself wondering when he grew up into a man. He wasn't that lazy, lanky, whiny kid anymore and she wondered when he had changed so much. "We grew up," Ino noted with a smile.

"Well we're twenty now, so I would hope so," Shikamaru snickered.

"You turned out, alright, Shikamaru," Ino said, suddenly reminiscing on the old days. The days were Asuma had to bark orders at Shikamaru constantly just to get him to do something. The days were Ino would criticize him for being so lazy. Those days were over now, they weren't just friends or young genin, they were adults with jobs and huge responsibilities. "I mean your smart, your strong, your charming, and handsome." Ino smiled at him, tilting her head a bit.

"What brought all this on? You feeling okay?" Shikamaru inquired, placing his hand on her forehead to check her temperature. She rolled her eyes and waved his hand away from her face. Biting her lip, Ino shrugged her shoulders and looked at Shikamaru entirely. "Do you want something? Is that why you're being so nice?"

"No, I'm just giving you an honest compliment," Ino assured him, placing her hand on his forearm. She was surprised that he was a bit buffer than she remembered, he was lean and toned and she just couldn't believe it was the same Shikamaru. In a sense, Ino was kind of attracted to him.

"I see," Shikamaru intoned and cleared his throat. Ino looked away from him and removed her hand from his arm, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. He didn't know why, but he couldn't seem to form any words as she was looking at him through her long black curly lashes. "Uh, well...you turned out...really great, Ino," Shikamaru managed to utter out, causing the girl to blush very faintly.

The two were in such close proximity of each other. Ino could feel the heat coming off of Shikamaru's body, which caused her to clear her throat and take a step back. He seemed to have caught on they were standing closer together and rubbed the back of his neck, slyly sliding back half a step. Suddenly it became really awkward for the two and Ino had no idea why. Shikamaru was a good guy, he was everything she wanted in a guy, but at the same time they grew up together. It seemed that Shikamaru was thinking the same thing as he nervously snuck glances towards Ino.

"So thank you for lunch," Ino began, breaking the awkwardness.

"Of course," Shikamaru nodded.

"You said you're off the next two days," Ino commented, putting her hands behind her back and swiveling where she stood.

_Is she nervous? It's kind of cute...I mean, what the heck is happening here, _Shikamaru thought as he watched Ino. _She's just your friend, Shikamaru, stop fantasizing._

"Maybe we can get something to drink one night or maybe go out to dinner or something," she smiled, shrugging her shoulders. Ino grabbed a hold of her ponytail and started twisted her hair around her finger. It boggled her mind that she was acting so nervously around him, they used to hang out all the time. Her tummy felt like it was doing flips, which made her feel even more nervous.

_Why do I have butterflies, this is Shikamaru, we're teammates, _Ino told herself.

"I would like that," Shikamaru answered with a single nod.

"Really?" Ino stammered.

"Yeah, I miss your company," Shikamaru shrugged, "Oddly enough." Ino slapped his arm and he chuckled a bit.

"Shikamaru! The Hokage is looking for you!" Kiba shouted from the end of the road. The lazy genius turned around to signal the dog lover that he heard him. Nodding, Kiba whistled to Akamaru and ran off.

"I better go, see you later, Ino," Shikamaru said to her, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He turned on his heels and began walking away. Ino looked at him in his jounin outfit, the vest, the black pants, and the Leaf's insignia tied to his arm. In some ways it was like he was still that sixteen year old boy, who used to drive her crazy.

Pressing her lips together, Ino twirled on her toes and made her way back into the flower shop. When she opened the door, Ino fell against it and sighed like she had just gone on the most amazing date ever. All she did was go to lunch with her teammates and gave Shikamaru a compliment, which somehow seemed to awaken a part of her knew never knew she had. Biting her lip, Ino looked down at her sandal covered feet and suppressed a laugh. Pushing off of the door, Ino ran her fingers through her fringe and looked up at the counter. Her mom wasn't up at the register though.

When she turned to her left, she gasped and stumbled a bit, "Mom! You scared me!" she exclaimed in a whiny tone as she walked up to the register straight back.

"Was that Shikamaru?" her mother questioned, her caramel colored eyes beaming with excitement. Ino looked back at her mother and rolled her eyes, knowing that this conversation would not be going to a good place.

"Yeah, that was Shikamaru," Ino replied with a nod, pretending to be busy as she flipped through some work orders. Her mother stood in front of Ino, leaning on the counter with a small smirk on her face. Sighing, Ino let go of the papers and folded her arms in front of herself on the counter. "Can I help you, mom?" Ino asked with a raised brow.

"You just looked so smitten out there," her mother explained with a smile, waving back towards the front door of the shop. Ino opened her mouth to protest, but decided against it and walked away from the front counter. "It makes sense though."

Ino stopped in her tracks and looked back at her mother skeptically before saying, "What does that even mean? We're just friends, mom."

"Well you know what they say about that now, don't you?" Ino's mother inquired. She brushed her brown hair behind her ear and sighed lovingly, making Ino roll her eyes. Her mother was probably fantasying about the two of them being together. It made sense that she would think that way, Shikamaru and Ino grew up together after all.

"Familiarity breeds contempt?" Ino tried with a chuckle.

"Ino!" her mother hissed, waving a finger at her. "From friendship blossoms a beautiful romance." Nodding slowly, Ino smiled and walked off before her mother could start gushing about how she knew they would be together one day. The thought of it all reminded her of when her father asked if she wanted to be with Chouji or Shikamaru. Walking out to the green house, Ino looked up at the sky and closed her eyes, soaking in the warm sunlight.

She missed her dad, even though sometimes he was clueless about having a teenage daughter, she was still daddy's little girl. Ino smiled a bit, wondering what her father would say if she saw Shikamaru and her outside the flower shop. Shaking her head, Ino walked into the green house and admired all the beautiful flowers. It was her favorite way to unwind, making bouquets and tending to the flowers. Grabbing a spray bottle, Ino began spritzing water on the different flowers and shrubs.

_I don't know what came over me, Shikamaru and I are friends. There's nothing there, we've been friends for so long, so yeah, that's all it was. We haven't talked like that in a week, so I just missed him is all, but there are no feelings there. No butterflies, just ate too much that's all it was, _Ino was trying to convince herself, but it was hardly working. Maybe her mother was right, maybe friendships do blossom into beautiful romances. Ino found herself blushing a bit and shook her head, _Stop it Ino, you'll drive yourself crazy. We're friends and that's that._

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hello ShikaIno fans! Thank you all for the nice comments on the previous chapter, I hope this chapter made you squeal with all the cuteness between Shikamaru and Ino. I'm having a lot of fun writing this story, mostly because these two are my favorite pairing in the series, even though people say it will never happen. Anyways, I can't wait to read your comments, and I'll see you all next time with another fluffy chapter of Shikamaru and Ino cuteness! Tata for now! Love y'all!

**Huge thanks to: **Kiyomi Inuzuka, sumtyms, guest, EpicCuteness04, Me, MaronTodai, ShikaInoisthebest, and kimochichokimochi!


	3. Awkward

**Awkward**

Shikamaru yawned as he laid back in the plush green grass, his arms behind his head, and one leg resting atop his bent knee. The spring air was very refreshing and the calm quiet of nature relaxed his exhausted mind. This was the first day off he'd had in about a month, no paperwork, no meetings, no missions, just an entire day to himself. His hazel eyes remained shut and he was beginning to doze a bit. He found his mind wandering to the conversation he shared with Ino yesterday afternoon, causing his eyes to come open slowly. Ino had seemed a bit nervous around him and even he felt a bit odd around her. His heart had skipped a beat and when she touched his arm, a shiver ran through him. It didn't make any sense though, he and Ino had touched before, he'd even carried her before on several occasions.

He watched the fluffy white clouds floating by slowly, not a single care in the world. They just went wherever the wind blew them, sometimes he still wished he could be a cloud like when he was a genin. Sighing softly, Shikamaru closed his eyes and started wondering if Ino was serious about getting a couple of drinks or going out to dinner. She had pretty much asked him out on a date or maybe just to catch up with each other. Now that they both did different things, it was very rare he got to see her or Chouji for that matter. Before they were always on missions together or helping out around the village, but now they were leading separate lives.

Ino worked at the flower shop and hospital and occasionally she worked with the Interrogation Unit whenever they were short handed. Chouji was still the same old Chouji, munching on snacks all day and running errands around the village, but now he trained more and was working on becoming a jounin. Shikamaru would be lying if he said he didn't miss the good old days when they would train together all the time with Asuma. His eyes opened up again and Shikamaru sat up, using his arms to support him. Scratching the back of his head, Shikamaru scooted back up against the tree behind him. Sitting there, he looked down at the village and smiled warmly. It was almost completely back to normal, it looked like Pain had never destroyed it.

_Shikamaru can you hear me? _Ino's voice sounded in his mind, causing him to look around.

_Ino?_ Shikamaru thought, wondering why should would be contacting him telepathically. _Something wrong?_

_ Can you come to the shop please, I need a favor, _Ino explained to him and he huffed, saying he would be there in a bit. She thanked him and his mind went silent. Stretching his arms out to the side and up over his head, he hopped up onto his feet. He dusted off his black pants and green t-shirt before he started heading back to the village at a leisurely pace.

As he was walking down the forest trail back to the village, he began to wonder what Ino was going to have him do. Her favors were quite odd sometimes, but he normally didn't mind just cause he wanted to see how they would pan out. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Shikamaru thought about when they were kids. When they were very young about seven years old she would follow Chouji and him around everywhere. It wasn't until they were ten that Ino started distancing herself from them. He still remember the look on her face when she had gotten teamed up with Chouji and him.

He chuckled at the memory and shook his head. Ino claimed to hate them and for a week she was very upset about it, but soon she got over it and it was like they had been friends forever. Sometimes Shikamaru wondered if he and Ino would ever talk if it wasn't for their father's having been friends. He'd like to believe they would have, even if it seem impractical. Shikamaru couldn't even imagine his life without Chouji and Ino, they were everything to him. They knew each other like the back of their own hands, there was a strong trust between them. Many people praised them for becoming just as strong and impressive as their own parents. He smiled at the thought of being half as good as their dads. It was hard that Shikamaru's father was gone, whenever he went home he felt it was missing something. His mother had lightened up a bit, she took very good care of him and would give him lingering hugs every time he'd leave or return from a mission.

"So the Hokage gave you a day off," Chouji's voice came from up ahead. Shikamaru stopped walking and looked at his friend, who was sweating and panting.

"Yeah finally," Shikamaru commented with a chuckle. "Training?" the pineapple head questioned.

"Yeah, I got a mission tomorrow, so I'll be missing in action for a week or so," Chouji said as Shikamaru came walking up. "Where are you heading?"

"Ino needs something," Shikamaru replied with a small shrug.

"She's probably going to take full advantage of you being free for two days, she was complaining a couple of days ago about how you've been neglecting me and her," Chouji told his best friend with a chuckle. Shikamaru rolled his eyes, knowing that Ino was always so dramatic about such frivolous things. He didn't like not being able to hang out with Ino and Chouji everyday like he used too, but at the same time the Hokage took precedent. "I think she just missed you paying for everything." Chouji elbowed Shikamaru in the ribs and chortled.

"That's probably exactly what it was," Shikamaru chimed as he shook his head, remembering the damage Ino could do to his wallet sometimes. "It's a good thing I love her otherwise none of this would be happening." He waved the matter off and Chouji smiled, nodding in agreement.

"You and her, I can see it," Chouji pointed out, which caused Shikamaru to furrow his brows in confusion.

"What do you mean?" he questioned his auburn haired friend.

"You really don't see it?" Chouji tilted his head and placed his hands on his hips. Shikamaru shook his head stiffly, kind of worried about what his friend was getting at. "You two look good together and you've been friends for so long, she goes to you for everything. It's bound to happen," he explain nonchalantly, which made Shikamaru sputter a bit. The thought of him and Ino ending up together was a bit awkward, not because he didn't find Ino attractive, but because they'd been friends for so long.

"If those are your only justifications, the same can be said about you," Shikamaru retorted with a roll of his eyes. "Ino's a great girl, but she'd never settle for a guy like me." He shrugged his shoulders not seeming very affected by it at all, but it did make his heart twitch a bit. With just their jobs alone they hardly got to see each other, he could only imagine if Ino got a boyfriend, she'd all but vanish from his life.

"Who says she'd be settling?" Chouji insisted with a shrug. "And trust me when I say, you two would be good together. You're her type."

"Why are you bringing this up?" Shikamaru asked, laughing and feeling a bit embarrassed about the whole thing. They were standing just outside the village, casually talking about him and Ino one day ending up together. The last thing he needed was someone to hear that and start spreading rumors, if that got back to Ino she'd castrate him in his sleep. The mere thought of her doing that caused him to shiver a bit.

"I guess it's just something I've been noticing the past couple of months while you've been busy," Chouji explained with a shrug and Shikamaru nodded slowly. "Ino cares about you, more than you think. Funny thing is, I don't think she even realizes it herself."

_Why are we even having this conversation? It's Ino. _Shikamaru just shook his head and waved the matter off. "Good luck on your mission, I'll see you when you get back." Patting his friend on the shoulder, Shikamaru smiled and continued walking, placing his hands back into his pants pockets.

"I bet when I come back you'll have seen what I'm talking about," Chouji said, watching Shikamaru head towards the village gates.

"Yeah, we'll see," Shikamaru replied back, not turning around to look at his friend, he simply lifted his hand above his head. When it dropped back down, Shikamaru began wondering why Chouji would say that in the first place. Ino and Shikamaru lived two different lives, she was busy doing her stuff and he was busy doing his. He didn't understand what he was supposed to be seeing in his friend's absence.

As he made his way through the busy afternoon streets of Konoha, he was greeted by several other shinobi. He acknowledged them all with a nod or smile and continued making his way to Yamanaka Flower's. The village seemed to doing really well for itself, the civilians seemed happy, there was tons of work pouring in for the shinobi of the village, and everything just seemed right. As he rounded a corner, he saw the flower shop up ahead with it's hanging flower baskets and window boxes all out in a beautiful display. The flowers were in a myriad of colors and just looked so fresh and clean.

Walking up to the door, Shikamaru pushed it open and heard the bells around the handle jingle. He looked at the silver bells for a moment before walking in and looked at the displays. Petrichor; that's the first thought that entered Shikamaru's mind, the shop always had a scent of petrichor. It was fresh and earthy, very pleasant and relaxing in his own opinion. Ino smelled like the flower shop all the time, he kind of enjoyed it. As he started walking down the aisle, he heard someone humming and turned to his left. Ino's mother was off day dreaming as she was arranging a shelf full of bouquets.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Yamanaka," Shikamaru greeted her, causing her to turn around and smile at him.

"Hello, Shikamaru, look at you! How long has it been?" Ms. Yamanaka asked, placing the bouquet in her hands down on the white wood shelf. Walking over to him, she placed her hands on his shoulders and inspected him carefully, causing him to laugh nervously as she forcefully spun him in a circle. "You look so grown up now." She pulled him into a warm embrace and he stifled a laugh, hugging her back graciously.

"Thanks, it has been a few months at least," Shikamaru told her as they pulled away from each other. She placed gentle hand on his face and beamed at him, shaking her head. "How've you been, Ms. Yamanaka?" he asked as she put her hand down and took a step back.

"I've been doing great," she answered with a nod. Shikamaru knew that she had taken the loss of her husband very hard, just as his own mother did. After the first year, he feared that his mother wouldn't be able to get through it. Somehow though she did and Ms. Yamanaka seemed to be doing very well for herself, plus Ino was always around to keep her company. Shikamaru wished he could still spend time on his mother, he felt bad that he was so busy and only got to see her once a week. He was up early and home late, they rarely had time to really talk to one another. She always assured him that she understood though, which eased his mind a bit.

"I'm glad, the shop looks exceptionally excellent," Shikamaru pointed out, gesturing to the mass amounts of flowers and vines and displays and balloons and cards.

"It's a complete jungle in here at this time of the year," Ms. Yamanaka laughed as she looked about the shop. "Inoichi always loved this time of year," she whispered to herself, but Shikamaru caught it. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder and she looked at him, patting his hand in appreciation. "Are you here to see my prodigal daughter?" Ms. Yamanaka jested as she led Shikamaru over to the counter.

"Yeah, she said she needed a favor?" Shikamaru explained, sounding a bit unsure of what to think about it.

"She didn't mention anything to me," Ms. Yamanaka replied with a shrug. She was about to speak again when they heard something shatter followed by a few curse words. "Uh-oh, sounds like Ino." Ms. Yamanaka flitted through the back door and Shikamaru followed right behind her.

When he stepped out onto the terrace he saw Ino was down on the ground, picking up a couple of pieces of broken glass. Her mother walked over and started questioning what had happened and if she was okay. Ino hadn't seemed to notice Shikamaru arrived and kept her head down as she was gathering up the large shards of shattered glass.

"Shikamaru could you be a dear and grab the broom and dust pan in the office?" Ms. Yamanaka asked, looking up at him.

"Shikamaru?" Ino questioned and looked up at the handsome boy in the doorway. She was still blindly grabbing the glass when she accidentally reached for an extra sharp piece that sliced her palm right open. "Oh ouch!" Ino hissed, pulling her hand back as blood started to seep through the thin slice that had been made to her delicate skin.

"Hey come on, let's get that wrapped up," Shikamaru said, walking around the pile of shattered glass. He knelt down by Ino's side and looked at her hand, it wasn't very deep, but it was bleeding like crazy. It began to drip on the ground and Ino cursed, saying it really stung. "Come on, inside now." He grabbed her upper arm and gently lifted her to her feet. She kept her hand cradled and led her into the shop straight to the sink.

"Thanks," Ino said as he grabbed a wash cloth that was neatly folded on a shelf and turned the water on for her. Placing her hand under the running water, she groaned a bit as the water turned red and spiraled down the drain.

"I'm gonna help your mom, apply pressure," Shikamaru said to her, holding up the cloth. Ino looked at him and smiled, nodding her head as she took hold of the cloth. Going over to the office, Shikamaru grabbed the broom and dust pan as he had been asked too and went back outside. "Here, Ms. Yamanaka, allow me," Shikamaru insisted as he walked over and began to sweep up the shattered glass.

"Thank you," Ms. Yamanaka said with an approving smile. She stood up and watched as Shikamaru gathered up all the mess and poured the glass into the boxes Ino had been carrying. "I'll finish taking care of these, can you check up on Ino?" Ms. Yamanaka asked, taking the broom and dust pan away from Shikamaru.

"You sure?" he inquired and the woman nodded, waving him off. Smiling, Shikamaru went back inside and found Ino standing in front of the sink, wrapping the cloth around her hand. He stopped mid step when he noticed she wasn't wearing her usual ninja gear or even her causal attire, she was in a simple cream colored lace dress and cute lace up brown boots. Blinking a few times, Shikamaru shook it off and approached her. Her hair was in a fishtail braid and coming over her shoulder with her fringe falling over her face as she was examining the wound on her hand. "Everything okay?" Shikamaru asked, standing before her.

"Oh yeah, I just lost my grip back there," Ino explained with shrug before looking up at Shikamaru. "It's a good thing we're heading to the hospital, although I think I fixed it up myself fairly well."

"Hospital? We're going to the hospital, is that your favor?" Shikamaru questioned her with a raised brow.

"Yes," Ino replied with one nod.

"You're kind of over dressed to be going to a hospital," Shikamaru pointed out, gesturing to her dressy attire. She looked down at herself and giggled a bit shrugging her shoulders.

"There are cute doctors there," she chimed with a wink, making Shikamaru snicker and roll his eyes.

"Ino you're incorrigible," Shikamaru noted, but the blonde waved the matter off and walked over to the shelf behind the register counter. He leaned up against it as Ino picked up a pink pale with white polka dots filled to the brim with an array of different flowers. "What's this?" he asked, nodding at the bucket of flowers.

"This is the reason we're going to the hospital," Ino explained her blue eyes gleaming with excitement. "We're delivering this to Sakura."

"Oh she has a secret admirer?" Shikamaru asked, slightly intrigued by this. The pink haired kuniochi was frequently sought after. She'd made quite the name for herself after the war with her medical skills and physical strength, everyone said she was the new Tsunade. He could believe it too, Sakura became more and more like the Fifth with each passing year.

"Yeah, it's Naruto," Ino announced. "Remember I said he came into the shop the other day, this is what we made."

"Oh yeah," Shikamaru remembered, nodding his head. Sakura and Naruto had gotten very close over the past couple of years. Everyone figured she would have gone after Sasuke, but it turns out she just opted to be his friend. "Good for him." Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders and Ino giggled. He knew this kind of stuff made her happy, it also made her gossip like crazy. Half the rumors in Konoha were started by the pretty blonde standing across from him.

"Well let's go drop this off," Ino said, pushing the bucket towards him. Nodding his head, Shikamaru picked it up and made his way to the front of the store. "Mom, I'll be back in a bit, just going to do a delivery!" Ino called out before she opened up the front door.

"Okay be careful, sweetheart!" Ms. Yamanaka shouted from the back.

"So did you really dress up to deliver these flowers to Sakura and flirt with the doctors there?" Shikamaru asked as they started off in the direction of the hospital.

"Maybe," Ino spoke with a coy grin on her face. "You sound a bit jealous."

"Nope, just observing," Shikamaru assured her with a chuckle, but Ino rolled her eyes not believing him even for a second. He never was one to really compliment girls on their clothes or hair, it just wasn't his thing, if anything he complained about girl's getting all dressed up.

"You can say I look nice," Ino tried, batting her lashes at him.

"You look exquisite," Shikamaru said sarcastically and Ino scoffed, pushing him away. The lazy shinobi laughed as Ino stood beside him, arms crossed over her chest and lips in a pout. He shook his head saying, "In all seriousness, you do look nice."

"Was that so hard?" Ino asked, looking at him with a bright smile.

"Yeah, I think a part of me died," Shikamaru joked, earning another hit from Ino.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey there everyone! Thanks for the comments on the last chapter, this chapter was really fun to write, I quite enjoyed it. But wait until the next chapter we'll finally get the ball rolling on these two love birds. In any case, please be kind and leave a comment if it was good, bad, boring, the works. Also feel free to leave any suggestions as far as what you think should happen between the two. Thanks for reading and I'll see you guys next chapter! Oh and I'm trying my best to keep the typos to a minimum so if you see any let me know!

**Huge thanks to: **Guest, PsychoticSky, MaronTodai, kimochichokimochi, sumtyms, Rose Duchess, ShikaInoisthebest!


	4. Booze

**Booze**

Shikamaru groaned as he laid on a stone bench in the hospital courtyard while Sakura and Ino were giggling and chatting about Naruto's gift. Normally he would have left after dropping off the bouquet and went on his way, but Ino demanded that he wait for her. He looked at the watch around his wrist, the two girls had been talking for almost an hour. Yawning, Shikamaru put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. He had no idea how long they would keep talking, but he figured he'd get a nap out of it.

Sakura had been so overjoyed when they brought her the flowers and apparently on the card, Naruto had asked her out to dinner for tonight. Shikamaru was quite certain Ino was asking her friend what she was going to wear, how she was going to do her hair, and all this other pointless stuff. Not that he would dare say that to either of those girls, he knew they'd rip his head off for it. He always thought girls were so funny about trying to impress a guy, who had already asked them out on a date. Wasn't it obvious the boy already liked them for who they were? There was no need to doll themselves up, besides if they lived together and dated and then got married, she couldn't be all prim and proper forever.

Not that he didn't believe it was a nice thing, he had to admit Ino did look nice in her dress and boots. Her hair neatly resting over her shoulder and her make-up so light he wasn't even sure she was wearing any at all. Shaking the images of her out of his mind, Shikamaru started to gaze at the clouds. Just as he was beginning to get comfortable on the bench he heard footsteps coming his way. He tilted his head back a bit farther and saw Ino walking over to him, looking relatively pleased with the outcome of her conversation.

"Okay, come on," Ino said, taking hold of his wrist and pulled him up.

"Where are we going? Don't you have to get back to the flower shop?" he asked her, tilting his head. The blonde shook her head and pulled him back towards the main road leading into the heart of Konoha. It was 5:00 in the evening, so he assumed that she was dragging him to some place to eat.

"We're going to eat and then we're going to find ourselves some liquid confidence," Ino revealed with a devilish grin on her face, which was quite concerning to Shikamaru. He had gone drinking with Ino three times, each time being crazy. The most recent time was when he was named Chief Tactician of the Leaf. They went out to celebrate and Ino was dancing on tables, giggling like a mad woman, and nearly raped Kiba, who probably wouldn't have minded. Shikamaru, of course, stopped her and kept her on a very short leash and watched her like a hawk the rest of the night.

He recalled when he was taking her home that night, it made him chuckle a bit. Ino turned to him with a raised brow. His smile faded when he saw her looking at her with questioning bright blue eyes. "Sorry, I was just thinking about the last time you got your liquid confidence," he divulged with another chuckle.

"I did not try to rape Kiba!" Ino hissed as they walked down the streets together, side by side, shoulder's almost brushing up against one another.

"Shush, people are staring," Shikamaru pointed out, placing a hand over her mouth. The blonde girl snorted a bit and pushed his hand away. No one was really paying any mind to them, he was just teasing her more than anything. "And you were so trying to rape him, for the record, it was quite troublesome to peel you away from him," Shikamaru clarified with a wave of his finger and Ino looked up at him with a pout out her face. He glanced at her, but decided to stop teasing her before she punched him through a wall or something.

"We were only dancing," Ino protested, but Shikamaru sputtered.

"Dancing? Ino your shirt was hanging off the ceiling fan and your skirt was on the floor," Shikamaru reminded her. Ino blushed a bit and laughed nervously, starting to remember flashes of that night that happened almost a year ago. "Had I not stopped you, who knows what would have happened." His hands were now in his pockets as they walked down the streets.

It wasn't very crowded that evening, but then again it was Monday night. There were a few clusters of people spread about the dusty path, a few shop vendors cleaning up for the night, and several restaurants that had delicious smells wafting through the air. The fire red glow of the sun cast the the village of Konoha in shadow and golden hues, making it almost seem as though there was an invisible fire swallowing them up. Shikamaru noticed Ino hadn't said a word in the past couple of minutes and when he looked down at her, she seemed a bit dubious or maybe just a little flustered; certainly lost in thought.

He nudged her with his elbow and Ino flinched a bit, looking up at him, smiling weakly. Shikamaru stopped walking and gave Ino a questioning look. It was very out of character for her to be so silent, he was beginning to think he might have hurt her feelings.

"Sorry, I was just thinking," Ino explained with a half-hearted shrug. Shikamaru gestured for her to keep going, "People probably see me as this slut, flirting and partying, and dressing as I do."

"Ino-" Shikamaru tried, but she held her hand up and stopped walking.

"It's true, even you see me that way," Ino sighed sadly, looking down at the ground. Shikamaru let his head fall between his shoulders and looked back up a moment later. Reaching for Ino's chin, he gently lifted her face so she was looking up at him.

"No one see's you like that," Shikamaru whispered to her. She pulled out of his hold and started walking again. The lazy genius knew that Ino was going to be all mopey the rest of the night, if he couldn't figure a way to cheer herself up. Ino's biggest flaw was her self-doubt, Shikamaru had witnessed that flaw of her's ever since they were kids. She always wanted to be the prettiest girl, the skinniest girl, the smartest girl, and it was all because she didn't believe she was good enough. When Sakura became a medic ninja, Ino felt even worst that her friend and rival was surpassing her.

Ino trained hard, but she always doubted herself, always criticizing herself. She never settled for just good, she wanted to be perfect. If she couldn't be perfect she would continue to doubt herself, wondering why she couldn't be as good as everyone else. The big problem was that Ino had accomplished so much, but she just refused to see it.

Shikamaru was ill-equipped for this today, but he refused to let Ino bring herself down for the rest of the evening. Taking in a deep breath, he let it out slowly and jogged over to Ino and put a hand on her shoulder. He got her to stop and turned her around saying, "I wish you could see what people really see in you, Ino. I wish you could see how strong you've become, how smart and kind, and beautiful you've become. You always told Sakura to believe in herself and that she would blossom into a beautiful flower, but you know you have too."

Ino felt a blush rise to her cheeks when Shikamaru said those nice things to her. She had never realized how much he cared or how much he had noticed. Ino could see in his eyes that he was being completely sincere. It made her smile, she looked down to hide her blush, but she was quite certain Shikamaru had already seen it. When their eyes met, Ino nodded to him and he smiled, removing his hand from her shoulder.

"Your dad and Asuma-sensei would be very proud of you and all you have accomplished," Shikamaru assured her, shoving his hand back into his pocket. Ino smiled at him and in the blink of an eye, Ino was hugging him tightly. At first Shikamaru was a bit surprised by her sudden gesture, but he stifled a laugh and hugged her back for a moment. "Alright, alright, enough love." He peeled her off after a minute and nodded towards a nearby bar, asking her if she wanted to have a few.

"I never up pass up free drinks," Ino replied with a wink, grabbing hold of his wrist and drug him straight into the bar.

* * *

The night just seemed to fly by as the two young shinobi chatted away at the end of the bar. One moment it was barely six and when Shikamaru checked the time, it was fifteen past midnight. He had no idea how many hours just flew past them. It seemed like they had only been there for an hour. When he was Ino, time just never seemed to slow down if anything it sped up. He had forgotten what it was like to spend so much time with her and now she was a mature young woman. She still had her little quirks, but her laugh was the same and so was the glow in her eyes. He prayed those two things would never change about her, because without those two things Ino wouldn't be the Ino he knew and loved.

She was sitting on the bar stool beside him, swaying to the slow song playing over the jukebox in the corner. Blonde hair moving like a river of gold flowing had her back, her skin had a neon tan, and her lips were curled into a charming smile. He studied her closely as she sang along to the song, swaying and staring at the bottle of sake in front of her. She must have noticed him staring cause she turned to look at him after a few moments. The way her lashes went around her blue eyes were so alluring and the way her hair fell in front of her face made her seem like a goddess only found in picture books. When her lips pressed together and a small faint blush rose to her cheeks, Ino giggled and looked away from him. He loved that sound, it made shivers run through his body like little electric shocks. Never had he realized how beautiful Ino was until that moment, so care free and a little tipsy. She bit her lip and poured herself another shot of sake, picking it up she looked to Shikamaru and raised it to her lips. He watched her every movement, her hands, her eyes, her lips, he soaked it all in like a sponge.

The slow song ended and Ino looked away from Shikamaru and licked her lips. They both had way too much to drink and it was probably time for them to head on home. He was about to suggest he take her home, but one of Ino's favorite songs to dance to came on. Her eyes lit up and she looked at him with these pleading eyes. He remembered this song, she played it at one of the family get togethers between the Akamichi's, Nara's, and Yamanaka's. She batted her long lashes at him, but he looked away and refused her. Scowling, the blonde waved the matter off and hoped off the barstool. Shikamaru turned around and saw Ino standing in the middle of the dance floor were less than a dozen others were getting ready to dance.

She started swaying her hips, put her hands up in the air, and spun around in a slow circle. He watched her movement closely, the bend of her knees, the way she rolled her head, the way her hands spun around, and the little hop in her step. Shikamaru didn't notice at first, but he was actually smiling as she danced to the beat of the song. Her blue eyes fell on him and she gave him a devilish grin. Holding up one finger, she bent it a few times signaling him to come onto the dance floor. He shook his head and Ino frowned, running over to him.

"You know you want to dance with me," Ino whispered into his ear, her hands resting on his bent knees. She was on his tip toes and had this playful look on her face. He could tell she was definitely buzzed and in her giggly-fun-having drunk girl self. "Come on Shika." She grabbed his hand and tugged on it gently;she only called him 'Shika' when she really wanted something out of him.

"You don't take no for an answer do you?" Shikamaru asked, already well aware of the answer. Whenever Ino wanted something, she would keep begging until it drove the person crazy and they caved. The way she was looking at him and touching him, he was at his breaking point.

"Dance with me, Shikamaru!" Ino shouted over the music, stepping back and held her hand out to her in a dramatic way. The lazy genius looked at her for a moment and snickered, shaking his head in protest. He was about to take a sip of his beer, but Ino took it away from him and placed it on the bar he was leaning against. "Come on!" she urged, yanking him from the barstool and laughed as she dragged him onto the dance floor.

"I really don't want to," Shikamaru complained, but Ino didn't care at all. She sang along to the song, swaying her hips and looking into his hazel eyes. Chuckling a bit, Shikamaru shook his head as Ino took his hands into hers, lacing their fingers together. She giggled as they pushed apart and came back together, Shikamaru could tell she wasn't going to let him leave until he danced, so he finally gave in. "Alright, one dance." He let go of one of her hands and lifted the other one high about her head, having her spin around and around until the were in the middle of the dance floor.

Ino burst into laughter and Shikamaru smiled at her, laughing a bit himself. He took her other hand and lifted them both above their heads. They swayed against each other and twirled about on the dance floor, everyone that was left in the little bar watched them dance. Shikamaru let Ino spin out and then he pulled her back in. She cheered and they let go of each other, she swayed and shuffled around him and he spun around as she did so. A smile on his face, he took hold of her hands and pulled her into him. She looked up at him with a grin full of mischief and he winked at her.

She placed one hand on his upper arm and the other on his shoulder. He grabbed hold of her waist and dipped her low, picked her back up, and dipped her once again only to swing her around so that she was on the opposite side of him. Ino laughed and lifted one knee into a bent position and Shikamaru leaned back for a few seconds before pushing her forward. A smile on her face, Ino pulled away from him and bounced around and Shikamaru watched while laughing at her enthusiasm. It had been a long time since the two of them had this much fun together. He smiled as Ino took is hand again and spun into him, her back pressed up against his front. For some reason, he just couldn't help himself, so he put his hands on her hips and swayed with her. Ino didn't seem to mind at all, in fact she started to press up against him more.

Just when Shikamaru was starting to enjoy himself the song ended. Ino turned around and put her arms around his neck and laid her head against his chest for a moment. He put his hands on her lower back and looked down at her curiously. Letting out a breath, Ino pulled away and looked up into his eyes. She stretched her neck upwards a bit and Shikamaru started to lower himself, but they both stopped and looked away. Clearing his throat, Shikamaru let go of Ino and she stepped away from him, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

_What the hell just happened? _Ino wondered as she felt a blush coming to her cheeks. _Did I attempt to initiate a kiss? No! No! Well...NO! _As she battled with herself internally, she noticed Shikamaru was giving her a strange look. He must have asked her something, but she wasn't sure what, so she asked what he had said to her.

"I said, we should head home." Shikamaru looked at her with this intrigued and confused look. Ino bit her lip and nodded, agreeing with him entirely. Going home, having a shower, and crawling into bed sounded like a perfect plan. The last thing she needed was to have another beer and get wasted. "Come on, I'll walk you." He nodded towards the door and Ino smiled, turning on her heels and ventured towards the door.

_She's just drunk that's all, she didn't really want to kiss me. Ino could have anyone in the world, I'm the last one she'd go for,_ Shikamaru thought as he watched her go out the door. They both got out on the street and walked side by side in the pale moonlight. It was surprisingly cool out for a summer night, there was a gentle breeze and it was the perfect weather a late night stroll.

"Thanks for dancing with me back there," Ino said, looking up at Shikamaru a small smile on her pink lips, that looked even more kissable to him in the moonlight.

_What are you thinking, Shikamaru? Lock that shit down! _He shook his head and smiled at Ino before saying, "Well it was either dance with you or stay at the bar all night." He shrugged his shoulders and looked at her pouting face.

"You had fun," Ino asserted with a roll of her eyes. He couldn't deny that he did have fun with her. It brought back a wave of nostalgia, the good old days when they'd go eat barbecue with Asuma-sensei, how they would train together all day, and how they used to play around at their family meet ups when they were kids. It'd been so long he almost forgot how good it was. "I just wish we could hang out more often, ya know?" Ino asked him, looking down at the ground, putting her hands behind her back.

"I know, I miss you too," Shikamaru assured her as he put an arm around her shoulders. She laid her head against him for a moment and placed her hand on his as they walked down the empty streets. The village was so calm and still aside from the few fireflies buzzing around.

"You could come around more," Ino whispered and Shikamaru stopped her. She looked up at him and bit her lip. He reached for her face and gently brushed her fringe behind her ear. Ino pulled away from him and continued to walk as he stood at the corner of the street, watching her as she crossed it. When she got to the other side, she turned around and looked at him. "You gonna walk me home or what?" she called out to him with a smile on her face.

"Of course I am," he replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets and caught up with her.

The last half of the walk was mostly silent only the soft harmony of the chirping crickets and the ominous hooting of an owl. As they walked in silence, Ino looked up at the twinkling stars. Shikamaru kept sneaking glances at the girl, she had him questioning everything. What was going on between them lately? They hadn't seen each other in quite a while and it seemed like they could be more than friends. He shook the thoughts from his head and decided it was just the booze they had tonight, his brain was all haywire and so were his emotions.

They finally reached Ino's house after another few minutes. She stood at the bottom of the front porch steps and turned around to look at Shikamaru. He stood a couple of steps back and looked at her with a soft smile. Ino bit her lip and closed the gap between them. Shikamaru didn't move he remained very still as she stood in front of him. He could smell the liquor and the sweet scent of honeysuckle, it was intoxicating.

Ino didn't know why, but she pushed herself up onto her toes and pressed her lips onto Shikamaru's. Her hands rested on his shoulders and she leaned against him. At first he hesitated, but he put his hands on her waist and kissed her back.

It was soft, tender, and it felt...right.

Shikamaru soon snapped out of it and quickly pulled away and stepped back. Ino looked a bit shocked and confused, twiddling her fingers in front of herself. "Whoa, whoa you and I just made out! You and I are making out?" Shikamaru asked in disbelief, shaking his head.

"Uh...yes...I mean," Ino stammered, biting her lip. "Do you want to?" she asked, sounding a little breathless.

"How drunk are you?" Shikamaru asked, eyeing her curiously.

"Drunk enough to do this, but not so drunk that you should feel like you're taking advantage," Ino explained, brushing her hair behind her ear. He let out a breath and walked right up to her, capturing her lips in another kiss. She laced her fingers behind his neck and he pulled her up against his body. He had no idea what was going on, but he was enjoying it and reached for her thighs. Gripping her thighs, Shikamaru lifted Ino and she squeaked in surprise. She had no idea that Shikamaru had become so strong. "When did you get so strong?" she asked as in between kisses.

Her legs were tightly wrapped around his waist as he carried her up the front porch steps. He pushed her up against the door and moaned as he started kissing her neck and moved towards her breast. Ino bit her lip to keep from moaning again. Shikamaru used his shadow to pick the lock to her house and pushed the door open. Ino captured his lips and pulled his hair tie out, running her fingers through his soft dark hair. He moaned as she pulled his head back and looked into his eyes.

"Should we really be doing this?" Shikamaru asked breathlessly. Ino licked her lips and nodded her head quickly, kissing him again. Kicking the door closed, Shikamaru carried her over to the kitchen and placed her down on the counter. Ino grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head, revealing his lean and toned abs. She stared at his body for a moment completely breathless. Smirking at him, she pushed him back and hopped down from the counter.

She was forceful, but he expected it from her. Ino was bossy and domineering he expected no less as they were about to have sex. Reaching for the bottom of her dress, Shikamaru pulled it off of her and tossed it aside. He had no idea what was going on through his head, he just wanted to be with her. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was her intoxicating smell, maybe it was the way she touched him, or maybe it was what he had been wanting all along. Ino pushed him back and they continued to kiss, slowly venturing towards Ino's bedroom at the far end of the hallway.

"What about your mom?" Shikamaru asked between kisses, his hands touching her bare skin, going for her lacy white bra clasp. It was almost see-through and it was seducing him as he moved. Her matching lacy boy shorts were just as sexy too, he never imagined he'd ever see her like that. Perfect curves, smooth skin, the way she touched him, and the way her lips pressed against his; it was all very nice.

"She's on the other side of the house, she won't notice," Ino explained as she pushed Shikamaru up against her bedroom door. He nodded and pressed his lips against hers and pulled the door open. They stumbled in and he turned her around, pushing her in the direction of her bed. He pushed her down onto the bed and admired her for a moment, breathing lightly. She looked up at him in an innocent way. Using his shadow, Shikamaru pushed the door closed, but never once looked away from Ino.

He walked towards her and laid on top of her, kissing her again.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So...what did you all think? This was fun to write haha, maybe next time it will be sexier, yeah? Comment to get another update! I'm hoping to hit 25 comments before the next chapter, help me get there? Also I'm very sorry if there are any typos, I'm trying to pick them out.

**Huge thanks to:** kimochichokimochi, scarlet letters in the snow, sumtyms, and Kiyomi Inuzuka!


	5. Breathe

**Breathe**

The early morning sun shone through the window, falling on Shikamaru's face. He groaned a bit and slowly opened up his eyes. Pale purple blankets were draped over his body and his hair was hanging just past his shoulders. Swallowing, Shikamaru sat up and looked down at the petite blonde sleeping soundly beside him. He stared at her for a moment, watching her breathe in and out. Pulling the blankets off of himself, he carefully climbed off the bed in hopes of not waking Ino up. He looked at the clock on her white bedside table, it was barely 7:00AM. Licking his lips, Shikamaru touched the hardwood floors and quietly tiptoed around the bed to the other side. He leaned down to grab his pants and slipped them on. Looking back to Ino, Shikamaru smiled and looked around her bedroom. It had been a long time since he'd been in her bedroom, probably not since they were seven or eight years old.

His hazel eyes ventured her room for a moment, pastel purple walls, white wood trimmings on the ceiling and floor, rich cherry hard wood floors, white bedside table with a matching white head board, a antique like dresser pressed up against the wall next to her closet doors that were decorated with hyacinths and lilies of all colors. It was girly and chic, fun and flirty, exactly what he would expect from a girl like Ino. As he was about to leave her room, he stopped when he saw a few pictures hanging on her wall. A smile came to his face when he saw their Team Ten photo, a photo of her father, and a few photos from when they were kids. His eyes drifted back over to Ino, curled in a ball, hair splayed across her pillow, and blankets wrapped tightly around her slender figure.

Opening the door, Shikamaru quietly slipped out into the hallway. He prayed that her mother had not woken up yet. As he walked down the hallway, he spotted his shirt on the ground and Ino's dress not far from it. Since the clothes were still on the floor, he assumed Ino's mother was still sleeping. Sighing in relief, Shikamaru walked over to his shirt and quickly slipped it on before grabbing Ino's dress. He began to fold it and just when he was going to lay it on the bar stool he heard someone clear their throat behind him. Freezing for what seemed like hours, Shikamaru swallowed hard and slowly turned around to spot Ino's mother standing there. She had a curious smile on her face and her arms were crossed over her chest.

"Good morning, Shikamaru," Ino's mother greeted, letting her arms fall to her side and walked over to the coffee pot in the corner of the kitchen. She pressed a button and the coffee machine whirred to life. Her hands reached for two coffee cups, hanging underneath one of the cabinets by little wooden hooks. "Would you like to stay for breakfast? I was going to make crepes."

_Well this is completely embarrassing, _Shikamaru thought grimly as he watched Ino's mother pulling out some ingredients for the crepes as well as a frying pan. He cleared his throat and debated what he should do. "Uh...I don't see why not," Shikamaru replied with a shrug and Ino's mother smiled happily, gesturing for him to take a seat at the breakfast bar. Nodding, he climbed onto a bar stool and watched as Ino's mother started digging around in the refrigerator for a various assortment of fruits.

"Sugar and cream?" she asked as she pulled out some coffee creamer. Nodding his head, Shikamaru thanked her and she placed the creamer down by the coffee pot. She reached back into the fridge and pulled out some strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Laying them on the counter, she turned back to the coffee and poured him a cup. Handing him the cup of coffee and creamer, Ino's mother got a jar of sugar and a little spoon for him. "Did you two have fun last night?" she questioned and Shikamaru just about choked on his own saliva.

"Yeah, I think so," Shikamaru replied weakly, not sure how he was supposed to go about this. He could feel his cheeks turning red and his heart was beating a hundred miles an hour. To take his mind off it, he started adding some sugar and creamer to his coffee, stirring it slowly.

"You don't have to hide anything from me, I was young once," Ino's mother said as she began cutting up the fruit. Shikamaru felt the air hitch in his throat and no matter how many times he told himself to just breathe, he couldn't seem to do it. "If anyone had to pop Ino's cherry, I'm glad it was you."

Shikamaru stiffened and he began coughing. He really hoped he had just heard that wrong, but he was positive he hadn't. It felt like someone had just shot him in the head and his brain was splattered all over the wall. Bringing the cup of coffee back to his lips, Shikamaru took a large gulp and placed it back down shakily. Ino's mom was looking up at him with a cheerful smile on her face as she continued cutting the fruit.

"Um, Ms. Yamanaka, can we not talk about this?" Shikamaru asked nervously, if she continued to hint at their sexual escapades last night he was sure it would kill him. At the moment he'd rather be up against all the Kage of the Great Shinobi Nations that hearing Ino's mother talk about his and Ino's sex lives. He couldn't even call it that, they had slept together once and they were drunk.

"Oh don't be shy, Inoichi and I always wondered when Ino would finally admit her feelings for you," she explained with a wave of her head. Shikamaru tilted his head a bit, hearing that Ino's had feelings for him was just a bit strange. He never saw them as more than just friends, but Ms. Yamanaka was the second person who claimed Ino had feelings for him. Who would know Ino better than her own mother? "And I assume you have feelings for her to otherwise you wouldn't have slept with her."

"Seriously, Ms. Yamanaka brains all over the wall," Shikamaru replied as he waved in the direction of the wall. The brunette woman in front of him chuckled a bit at his expression and walked over to the pantry.

"It's alright Shikamaru, I trust you with my daughter and I know Inoichi did too," Ms. Yamanaka explained as she came back to the counter holding a box of pancake mix and some oatmeal. Pulling a mixing bowl from a drawer, she poured in some of the mix with a little bit of oatmeal. "You're perfect for her."

"Ms. Yamanaka we were drunk," Shikamaru interjected, wanting her to stop confusing him more than he already was. He was a man of intellect and reason, when it came to Ino his brain turned to mush and he had no idea what to do. When he was around Ino he always felt like he was walking around on eggshells, but last night it was just raw and filled with desires he never knew he had.

"I believe that when people are drunk, their deepest desires are awakened," Ms. Yamanaka replied softly as she poured some milk into the mixing bowl. Shikamaru stared at her for a moment and she smiled at him before grabbing a whisk to mix the contents together. Biting his lip, Shikamaru looked down at his coffee cup and wrapped his hands around it. Maybe she was right, maybe their deepest desires had been awakened last night. They danced, they kissed, and then they made love and the whole time it didn't feel wrong. "Here's the real way to know, do you feel guilty?" Ms. Yamanaka asked, waving the whisk at him.

Shikamaru looked at her and opened his mouth to speak, but closed it quickly. He ran his fingers through his hair, which was still down since Ino had tossed his hair tie aside somewhere. Taking in a deep breath, Shikamaru thought carefully about what she had just asked him. When he was with Ino last night, he couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't be doing that from the beginning. It was reckless, fun, exciting, and he completely enjoyed being swept away by his emotions. Last night they were just skin and bone, heat and lust, and it was dangerous, but he wouldn't have had it any other way.

The way she said his name last night when he was touching her echoed in his mind. He could still feel her against him, the way her fingers trailed up and down his back, the way her lips fit perfectly with his, and the way she looked at him with all the trust in the world. Not once did Shikamaru ever consider he and Ino would do such a thing, but last night was different. Last night he wanted to be with her, he wanted to hold her, touch her, kiss her.

"Hey mom! Where's the aspirin, I have a huge headache and I don't-" Ino stopped speaking the moment she looked up and saw Shikamaru sitting at the breakfast bar. Her heart skipped a beat, her cheeks turned bright red, and her mouth fell open. "Shikamaru!" When she woke up, she thought that he had snuck out early not having coffee and crepes with her mother in her kitchen! She could only imagine what her mother was thinking, she didn't even know what to say to Shikamaru.

"Good morning sweetheart, I'm making your favorite," Ms. Yamanaka greeted with a kind smile as she poured the batter into the heated frying pan. Ino nodded stiffly and her blue eyes drifted over to Shikamaru, who looked down at his coffee the second their eyes met. "I found him trying to sneak out, but I asked him to stay for breakfast at least." Her mother pointed a spatula at Shikamaru and he laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

Ino nodded slowly and looked at Shikamaru, she had never seen him with his hair down before, but she thought it looked nice. Licking her lips, Ino instantly got her mind off of how Shikamaru had looked and thought about what her mother had said. If she had caught him sneaking out that meant she knew they had slept together last night. Ino felt her knees go weak and felt that headache coming back with a vengeance. Placing her hand on her head, Ino excused herself to the bathroom and stumbled off.

Shikamaru watched the petite blonde go and closed his eyes, shaking his head. What had they gotten themselves into? He was afraid this would happen last night, but he couldn't help himself. Ino had let her walls down and invited him in, he couldn't pass that chance up. Not once when they were teenagers or kids did he think he had romantic feelings for her, but now he couldn't seem to see how he didn't notice it before. He was noticing things about her, things that he wouldn't have thought much of before. The thing that worried him the most though was if she didn't want to reciprocate any of those feelings.

"Go check on her," Ms. Yamanaka whispered and Shikamaru lifted his gaze. The woman with the caramel eyes and soft smile, nodded towards the direction of the hallway. Taking in a deep breath, Shikamaru nodded and let it out slowly when he scooted off of the bench. His bare feet touched the cold tile floor and he cautiously approached the bathroom.

Raising his hand, he gently knocked on the door and when he did it slowly creaked open. The lights were on, but everything was silent except for the fact there was a pleasant breeze pouring in through the window. Shikamaru pushed the door open completely and cursed, Ino had left. Going over to the window, Shikamaru leaned out of it and sure enough he saw Ino running down the street in her satin nightie. Ducking back into the window, he debated whether he should chase after her or just give her some time. Cursing, Shikamaru knew he couldn't let her run away.

"She took off," Shikamaru said, walking back to the kitchen. "I'm going to go find her." He started for the door and Ms. Yamanaka watched as the door closed. Smiling the brunette woman chuckled and shook her head.

"Ah young love," she muttered to herself.

* * *

Ino had finally stopped running and was panting heavily as she leaned against the railing of a wooden bridge going over a slow moving river. Her eyes stared down into the water, her reflection rippling as the wind blew against it. Running her fingers through her wavy hair, Ino let out a breath and tried to calm herself down. She and Shikamaru had went out, got a little tipsy, and then had sex in her house while her mother was home. When Shikamaru woke up and was trying to leave unnoticed her mother caught him in the act and she could only imagine what she was thinking. Ino wasn't even sure what she was thinking at the moment it was all too hard to think about.

Last night she felt like it was the right thing to do, like she had to do it.

And now...well she wasn't sure what she was thinking. Maybe she was scared of what she had done to their friendship, it had been effectively ruined last night after all. Groaning, Ino buried her face in her hands and began to rub her temples. No amount of thinking or soothing herself would prepare her. Eventually she would have to face her mom, but she was more worried about Shikamaru. She didn't know what to say to him, she wasn't even sure what he would say to her. Would it be good? Bad? Maybe she should have stayed and see? Sighing softly, Ino pinched the bridge of her nose.

Knowing Shikamaru, he probably would have pretended like it never happened. Of course, now they couldn't pretend like nothing happened, not that her mother caught him. Letting her arms drop down onto the rail, Ino shook her head and stared down at the river. She licked her lips and tried to stop all the thoughts and possibilities running through her mind. If she couldn't stop herself, she would only drive herself insane.

"Ino," Shikamaru spoke behind her softly.

She stiffened and took in a sharp breath, turning slowly to look at him. Her blue eyes fell on him and she pressed her lips into a firm line. Running her fingers through her hair, she just looked at him with a complete loss for words.

"What are you doing?" he asked her softly, taking a step closer to her. "Why'd you run?"

"I...I..." she tried, but only shook her head.

"About last night," Shikamaru paused and walked to her, standing half a step away from her. He reached out for her face and smiled down at her, "I shouldn't have-"

"No," Ino interjected quickly, placing her hand on his. "I'm glad you did." She smiled up at him and Shikamaru stared at her in disbelief. The blonde pulled his hand down and took hold of his other one, lacing her fingers together with his.

It was the perfect fit.

"Why'd you try to leave?" Ino inquired with a tilt of her head.

"I wasn't sure you wanted me to stay," Shikamaru explained softly, staring into her deep blue eyes. "I can assure you though I never wanted your mom to catch me." He laughed lightly and Ino leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his shoulder.

"Did she say anything embarrassing?" Ino questioned, hoping the answer was no.

"She said I popped your cherry."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Woot! Woot! Everyone loves those awkward conversations with their parents right? So this was obviously kind of a lighthearted chapter, but the drama is on it's way, who's ready? Thanks for all the love last chapter, I'm hoping to hit 35 comments by the next chapter, my fingers are crossed! Also any suggestions for what should happen next?

**Huge thanks to:** scarlet letters in the snow, me, Kiyomi Inuzuka, MaronTodai, ShikaInoisthebest, euntan, and sumtyms!


	6. Souls

**Souls**

Shikamaru sighed as he sat at his desk, thumbing through countless files and going over various mission reports. Sputtering, Shikamaru tossed the file he was currently holding onto the desk. He put his elbows on the edge of his desk and rubbed his temples. He'd been filing and reading documents for nearly five hours and he was starting to feel stiff. His stomach growled alerting him that he was quite hungry. Leaning back in his seat, Shikamaru turned his chair around and looked out the large rectangular window. There was a knock at the door and he told the person to come in without turning around.

He heard the person walk in and slowly turned himself around. His hazel eyes fell upon a certain hyper active blond with a huge cheeky grin on his whiskered face. Shikamaru was suddenly wishing he hadn't allowed him in and prayed Sasuke was coming up soon to wrangle him back to the top floor. The look in Naruto's eyes were mischievous and from his cackling, Shikamaru could only assume he knew something about Ino and his little escapade from a couple of days ago. Walking up to the desk, Naruto pressed his palms down onto the edge of the wooden desk and smirked at Shikamaru.

"I know I'm going to regret this, but what?" Shikamaru asked, looking up at the Hokage in training curiously. The whiskered boy licked his lips, smiling like a kid at Christmas.

"You and Ino? So how was she?" Naruto inquired, wiggling his brows up and down.

"Get out!" Shikamaru snapped, pointing to the door across the room. The blond boy started laughing a bit and plopped down on the leather chair off to the side of his desk by a large floor to ceiling bookshelf.

"Oh come on," Naruto laughed as he got comfortable in the chair. Rolling his eyes, Shikamaru knew Naruto wouldn't be leaving until he got something out of him. "Was it everything you ever wanted?" the blond asked and Shikamaru had this urge to strangle Naruto with his jutsu.

"Naruto why are you here?" Shikamaru questioned with a huff. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "And how do you even know if Ino and I did anything?" His eyes watched Naruto like a hawk with an accusing gleam, but the blond only chuckled and put his hands behind his head.

"I stopped by the flower shop, Ino was all sing-y and stuff," Naruto explained with a smirk on his face. Shikamaru muttered a few choice words and leaned forward on the desk. "She had these stars in her eyes and all I could think was that you must have done the deed." The lazy genius dropped his head into the desk and scowled at Naruto's reasonings. Even if they were true it was still weird and irritating, but of course, it wouldn't be a normal day if Naruto wasn't giving people reason's to strangle him.

In the last few months, Shikamaru had become quite accustomed to Naruto popping in and out of his office. The blond was in training to be Hokage after all, so whenever Naruto got a mission, Shikamaru was relieved. Naruto was a good person, he was the strongest ninja in the village, he was the hero of the shinobi world, and he was slowly maturing into a man. Shikamaru always told himself that great works of art take time, so he was hoping once Naruto grew out of his silliness he'd be a stand up Hokage and make his father and all the fellow Hokage before him proud.

"Are you seriously here to bombard me about my sex life?" Shikamaru inquired with a snort as he pushed himself up from the desk.

"Ah-ha! So you admit it, you did sleep with Ino!" Naruto shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Shikamaru. The pineapple head rolled his hazel eyes and could feel his Naruto induced headache coming on at full force. He was praying that Sasuke would waltz in and drag him out, so that he could get some work done or have some lunch in peace.

"When did you become such a busybody?" Shikamaru grumbled as he rubbed his temples. Naruto only cackled and hopped up from the leather chair in the corner of the small room. Walking over to the desk, Naruto placed his palms on it and looked at Shikamaru with a big fox like grin. The hazel-eyed genius sighed and grabbed a folder of papers and flipped it open. Lifting it up to block Naruto out of his view, the blue-eyed boy poked his head around the left side and then to the right. "Where's your baby sitter?" Shikamaru asked, dropping the paper, realizing Naruto wasn't going to leave him alone.

"Oh chasing a few of my clones around the village," Naruto ranted, waving his hand in the air. Somehow Shikamaru had a hard time believing that Sasuke would be so easily fooled by Naruto's clones. He assumed Sasuke couldn't put up with Naruto's shenanigans and resorted to hiding out somewhere that Tsunade couldn't find him. "Come on, it's lunch time, you can tell me all about Ino's sexy figure." Shikamaru glared at Naruto and was just about to strangle him with his shadow when the door swung open.

Naruto looked over his shoulder and snickered, "Sasuke! You found me, new record, good for you!" the blond bellowed and turned on his heels, laughing a bit. The annoyed Uchiha had his strong arms crossed over his chest and his Sharingan was activated. Huffing, Sasuke shook his head and marched over to Naruto and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Hey! It's lunch time!" Naruto protested, trying to pry himself free of Sasuke's tight grip.

"I never lost you, dope! Unfortunately, your assistance is needed in the council room, not that I see how you are of any assistance at all in political matters," Sasuke explained as he was dragging Naruto towards the door. Shikamaru stifled a laugh, he had to agree with Sasuke there, Naruto wasn't exactly the most brilliant person when it came to political affairs between countries. The door closed and Shikamaru could still hear Naruto complaining about missing lunch and how he was too hungry to listen to the old people rambling about marriages and laws and money.

Once Naruto's voice faded, Shikamaru sighed and shook his head, turning his attention back to his work. Just as he began reading a document a knock came to his door. He didn't look up, he merely told the guest to let themselves in. As the door creaked open, Shikamaru glanced up at the entry way and saw Yamato standing there. He closed the door and walked forward, which caused Shikamaru to put the papers down and look at the man curiously. It was rare for an ANBU Commander to come visiting him, especially when thing had been very quiet for the village.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Commander?" Shikamaru asked formally, resting his elbows on the table and supporting up his head on his knuckles. Yamato stifled a laugh, he had only recently been promoted, so the title of ANBU Commander was odd to him.

"Lady Tsunade wants you to look into this," Yamato stated as he held up a scroll and handed over to the young man. Nodding his head, Shikamaru took a hold of the scroll and unsealed it. "A man by the name of Takahiro Kuzuryu has been seen in several areas preforming a forbidden jutsu. We have tried to track him down, but he's very...clever." Yamato stood still with his hands behind his back and Shikamaru looked at the scroll. His hazel eyes skimmed the black ink scrawled along the page.

"I'm assuming she wants me to devise a plan to capture him then," Shikamaru guessed as he read through the information. His eyes glanced up at Yamato, who nodded. Looking back down at the scroll, Shikamaru found that there was very little information on the man and they didn't even have an image of him. All that they had to go off of for his appearance was a sketch and a vague description of what he looked like according to a few bystanders. "Do we know why he's doing this?" Shikamaru asked as he continued to read. There was very little mention of the man's abilities let alone his motive.

"As of right now, no," Yamato replied and Shikamaru looked up at him, pressing his lips together in a firm line. He couldn't come up with a plan, not a good one at least, unless he had more information on this Takahiro Kuzuryu. "I know it isn't exactly much to go on, but the jutsu he's using...it's very dangerous."

"And we're sure he's using a forbidden jutsu?" Shikamaru asked, mostly because there was no mention of the jutsu within the scroll. Yamato nodded his head and Shikamaru let out a breath, placing the unrolled scroll on his messy desk. "Do we know anything about it?" the lazy genius questioned, leaning back in his chair.

"We think it's the Soul Collector Jutsu, which is similar to the jutsu Kabuto used during the Fourth Shinobi War." Yamato shook his head and sighed softly, "But we also think he is planning something else."

"Such as?" Shikamaru tilted his head, he already didn't like how things were going.

"You don't collect souls for no reason," Yamato stated simply and Shikamaru nodded, understanding what he meant. "He's collecting them for a reason, we just have to find out why. See what you can dig up, you have twenty-four hours." Making a hand sign, Yamato disappeared in the blink of an eye. Sighing, Shikamaru rubbed his temples and spun his chair around to look out the window of his office. Sometimes he wished he was just a regular run of the mill shinobi, so he could just relax. Getting up from his chair, Shikamaru leaned on the window sill and noticed that the sun was slowly being hidden away by dark looming clouds. The underbellies of the dark clouds began to light up and there was a soft rumble of thunder. Letting out a breath, Shikamaru pushed away from the window and decided to grab some lunch before he started his next project.

* * *

Ino was cleaning up the shop when she heard the bell of the door come open. She looked up and stopped sweeping, smiling politely at the man who walked in. Her smile dropped though when she saw Ibiki Morino, standing there with his hands in his pockets and his block cloak falling around his large stature. His scared face was stoic as ever and his dark eyes were locked on her pretty blue ones. She sighed softly and flicked her ponytail over her slender shoulder. Leaning the broom up against the counter, Ino placed her hands on her hips and kept her lips in a tight line. She already knew exactly what he had come for and she really wasn't in the mood to deal with it. Things were going very well for the shop, she worked at the hospital a few days a week, and she even subbed at the academy from time to time.

"Ibiki," Ino greeted with a small, curt nod.

"I know you don't want to hear it, but we need you to join the Torture and Interrogation Unit," Ibiki explained as he took a step closer, which made Ino sigh. "We're short handed and have been for a while now, we need you." They had this conversation five times already and each time she had refused him, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Going into the T&I unit would remind her too much of her father and she just wasn't ready. She knew that it had been a long time, four years, since the end of the war and his death, but it didn't make it any easier.

"I can't do it, Ibiki, I'm sorry," Ino replied firmly and looked down at the ground shaking her head. She clenched her fist tightly at her sides and licked her lips as she raised her gaze up to the tall man standing at her door. "I understand you need my skills, but I can't do it."

"Yes you can," Ibiki assured her. "You're the last one in your clan with skills as great if not greater than your father. I know you lost much in the war, more than half your clan was lost, but we need your skills. Just think about it, Ino."

"I have thought about it, Ibiki, ever since you asked me to join a few months after the war and my answer remains the same." Ino looked into his eyes, which he closed and let out a sad sigh. He knew that she would not be easily convinced, he just hated to see her talents go to waste. Her father had trained her so well and she had accomplished quite a bit on her own. When her father died, Ino spent an entire year studying the Yamanaka's sacred scrolls, but she suddenly stopped and locked herself away in her home for about a month. She had refused to speak to anyone and when she finally came out, she reopened the flower shop and worked part time at the hospital.

"I thought as much," Ibiki muttered bitterly and reached into the upper pocket of his black trench coat. He plucked a white envelope out of his pocket and walked towards Ino. "Inoichi told me to give this to you when you started doubting yourself." She looked at the envelope and felt the tears building in her blue eyes. Slowly she lifted her hand and reached for the letter, slowly taking it from his hold.

"When did he give this to you?" Ino asked, holding the letter up.

"The eve before battle," Ibiki replied softly and Ino closed her eyes tightly. Saying a quiet goodbye, Ibiki bowed and slipped out of the flower shop silently. When the door closed and the bells jingled, Ino reopened her eyes and looked at the envelope in her hand. She walked around the counter and dropped the envelope onto it. Grabbing the broom, Ino went back to sweeping around the shop. She didn't want to read what he wrote, she was afraid to read it, afraid that she would end up disappointing him.

As she started to sweep, thunder rumbled and lightning struck outside, causing her to jump a bit. Looking up to the front window, Ino could see the heavy down pour washing over the village. Sighing, Ino shook her head and continued sweeping up, not even realizing she was crying. As the tears rolled down her cheeks, Ino started sweeping faster with more forceful strokes. She ended up hitting one of the card stands, causing it to topple over. Ino didn't stop though, she continued sweeping until she let go of the broom and began throwing the vases. Glass shattered about and scattered all over the floor, soon she started knocking the potted plants from the higher shelves and water and dirt splattered on her feet. Ino still didn't stop, she just sobbed and wailed and destroyed everything on the display table in the center of the shop.

"Ino!" Shikamaru called from the door and ran over to her. Wrapping his arms around her, he tried to stop her, but she continued to sob and scream, thrashing about in his tight vice grip. "Hey, Ino! Stop, stop." He tried to calm her down as he carried her towards the work table in the back, placing her down on the stool. She stopped thrashing and he stood in front of her, brushing her hair from her face.

He shushed her gently and placed his arms around her, rubbing circles into her back to comfort her. Shikamaru pulled back after a few seconds and wiped her tears away with his thumb, he had never seen Ino this upset. Even at her father's funeral she was held together, only silent tears rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes met his and she let out a shaky breath, wrapping her arms around him. Closing his eyes, Shikamaru hugged her back and whispered to her that everything would be okay.

* * *

**Author's Note:** And now the adventure part of our story has been briefly mentioned as well as Ino's inner turmoil, the drama is coming my lovely readers and it's going to be fun. I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter and thank you all for the lovely comments! I'm hoping to reach 45 comments by the next chapter, which should be up in a couple of days, help me get there! Oh and I apologize for any typos! Who loved Naruto in this chapter?

**Huge thanks to:** scarlet letters in the snow, EpicCuteness04, euntan, ShikaInoisthebest, teamshikaino, sumtyms, guest, and Kiyomi Inuzka!


	7. Rain

**Rain**

Shikamaru sat at the breakfast bar in Ino's home, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. He let out a breath and licked his lips, lacing his fingers together he rested his chin on his knuckles. The tile of the counter top felt cool on his elbows and his mind flashed images of Ino thrashing around, throwing the vases, the flowers, and crying into his chest. The event happened about two hours ago, she had sobbed for most of it. Trying to shake the images away, Shikamaru hopped off the barstool and ventured around to the coffee machine tucked away in the corner. Grabbing two cups from the wooden hooks under the cabinet, Shikamaru laid them out. Ino's mother was next door, cleaning up the mess and he was under her strict order to stay with Ino until she calmed down. He understood completely, Ino's mother hated to see Ino in so much distress.

The coffee finally finished and Shikamaru picked the pot up, pouring the hot, steamy contents into the two mugs. Once both cups were full, Shikamaru placed the pot back onto the small black machine and went to grab the creamer and sugar. He heard footsteps falling lightly on the floor and he turned around. Ino was standing under the arch of the kitchen in an over sized pale purple sweater and a black t-shirt, her painted toes bare and her hair down. Her eyes were still red from her tears and her nose puffy, face pale. Shikamaru gave her a weak smile, putting the creamer down on the counter and moved towards her. She looked down at the ground, her lithe arms wrapped around herself. He placed a hand on her cheek gently and she turned towards his warm touch. Smiling, Shikamaru brushed her hair behind her ear and moved closer to her.

"You okay?" Shikamaru asked, looking at her. He bent down slightly, looking into her eyes. Ino sniffled a bit and wrapped her arms around his waist, lying her head against his chest. Placing one arm around her, Shikamaru gently rubbed her back and rocked her slightly. Placing a kiss a top her head, Shikamaru held her there. "What happened back there, Ino? Why the break down?" he questioned gently and Ino let go of him. She stepped back and rubbed her eyes with the soft wool sleeve of her sweater. Shikamaru rubbed her arm in a comforting manner and waited for her to say something.

"Ibiki...he came and..." Ino paused for a moment and Shikamaru tilted his head, giving her a reassuring look before she looked into his hazel eyes and said, "Daddy gave him a letter." Tears pooled in her eyes and Shikamaru pressed his lips together as the began to pour over slowly. He wiped them away with his thumb and Ino walked in front of the counter. Turning around, she put her back up against it and propped herself up. When she sat down, she sniffled and wiped her tears with her sleeve once again.

Shikamaru stood in front of her and placed his hands on her knees. Ino looked at him and gave him a watery smile. He hated seeing her like this, Ino was usually so cheerful, but now he saw that she had hid her pain within her for so long. That letter that Ibiki had given her was the last straw that broke it all down. The blonde girl let out a shaky breath and Shikamaru patted her knees, turning around to finish the coffee. Thunder rumbled outside and he looked out the window. The rain never let up since he got to the flower shop not even for a minute, it just poured and poured. Bringing the coffee over to Ino, he held the mug out to her. She smiled weakly and mouthed a thank you, taking the mug. It warmed her cold hands and she slowly brought it to her pale pink lips.

"Did you read it?" Shikamaru asked, standing across from her, his back pressed up against the counter. He was slouching a bit, his eyes on her as he sipped on the hot liquid, warming up his body. Ino pulled her mug down and shook her head slowly, looking down at the content of her mug. "Why not?" he questioned gently.

"Ibiki said that he...was supposed to give it to me...when I...started doubting myself," Ino muttered and Shikamaru frowned at her words. "I never want...to read it, ever." She shook her head and swallowed hard, a few more tears spilling from her eyes. Licking his lips, Shikamaru put the mug he was holding down and moved over to the counter Ino was sitting on. She didn't look at him, she kept her eyes closed and let her tears fall.

"Hey," Shikamaru breathed, putting his hand under her chin, lifting up her face. She opened her watery eyes and Shikamaru licked his lips before saying, "Inoichi loved you and he left that message for you because of that love."

Ino could taste her salty tears as she licked her lips, nodding her head slowly. Smiling at her, Shikamaru removed his hand from her face and stepped away from her. Running her fingers through her hair, Ino let out a breath and put her coffee mug down on the tiled counter. She slid off of it and her bare feet softly touched the ground. Shikamaru grabbed his mug and looked back at Ino as she ventured over to the small pantry closet. She began digging around inside of it before pulling out a bag of chocolate chips and some flour. Shikamaru raised a brow at her as she started gathering more contents.

"What are you doing?" Shikamaru asked.

"Making Daddy's favorite cookies," Ino replied barely above a whisper. She put her hands down on the tiled counter and looked to Shikamaru. "Do you want to help me?" the blonde asked with a weak smile.

Taking another quick sip of his coffee, Shikamaru put the mug down and said, "I would love too." Smiling, Ino nodded her head and started to get the utensils they would be needing to make her special chocolate-chip cookies that she used to make for her father every weekend.

As Ino started getting the ingredients into the large glass bowl, Shikamaru stared out the window just past the dining room table. The rain continued to pour, washing away the dust. His eyes stared at the back entrance of the flower shop. Licking his lips, Shikamaru looked at Ino as she grabbed some eggs and cracked them. Ibiki had been trying to recruit Ino for years now, maybe people encouraged her to pursue a career in the Torture and Interrogation Unit, but she always claimed she couldn't do it. Shikamaru didn't believe that for a second though, Ino was one of the few remaining members of her clan and she was also the one who showed the most promise in her families special jutsu.

There were merely four Yamanaka clan members left that had the ability to use her families powerful techniques, Ino included. She swayed slightly beside him, whisking the ingredients together. He smiled weakly as she hummed a little song, one she used to sing all the time when they were kids. Putting his hand on the small of her back, Ino looked up at him and bit her lower lip. Their eyes stared into each others and Ino looked down after a few moments. She never expected to have those butterflies in her stomach because of Shikamaru. He had been her friend, her shoulder, her rock, and now he was slowly becoming more.

_When did I start falling in love with you? _Ino wondered to herself as she looked back to the mix she was stirring up.

The front door of the Yamanaka household came open and Ms. Yamanaka walked in with someone else trailing behind her. They were damp from the rain, dripping a bit as they stood in the foyer. Ino looked up from what she was mixing and tilted her head to see around her mother. The person behind her was a hooded, but Ino could tell it was a male from his broad shoulders. Shikamaru moved away from Ino and walked over to the foyer. Ino went back to stirring the contents of the glass bowl and turned her back to her mother and the visitor.

"The Hokage sent me," Naruto's voice came and Shikamaru furrowed his brows. The blond reached up for the edge of his hood and pulled it back. "That request she sent, well the time just got cut short." The lazy genius wasn't liking the sound of that and he had no idea Naruto knew about the matter either.

"What's going on?" Shikamaru asked, Lady Tsunade hardly ever cut the allotted time unless something dire had happened. Naruto looked to Ms. Yamanaka and saw Ino in the kitchen, working on something quietly. Licking his lips and blond sighed and tried to figure a way to tell everyone one had happened in the pass couple of hours. "Naruto." Shikamaru crossed his arms over his chest and looked into the blond's vibrant blue eyes.

"There was an attack on a squad that had been sent to track down Takahiro Kuzuryu," Naruto began and Shikamaru closed his eyes, he could already see where Naruto was going, "it was a four man squad, three killed, one taken hostage."

"Who?" Shikamaru questioned, opening his eyes again.

"Chizuru Yamanaka," Naruto answered softly, looking down at the ground. Shikamaru closed his eyes and let out a soft breath before turning around. Ino was in the kitchen and remained very still, Chizuru was closest to Ino's age and also spent the most time with her, helping her train. The blonde girl closed her eyes and leaned against the counter for support. "She contacted Commander Yamato just before she was taken. We don't know anything else." Naruto put his hands behind his back and stared down at the ground, he always hated being the bearer of bad news.

Ms. Yamanaka stood silently beside the two male shinobi and closed her eyes, shaking her head. Chizuru was like a sister to Ino, hearing such devastating news would crush her daughter completely. Walking over to Ino, Ms. Yamanaka attempted to console her daughter, but Ino bolted. The door was flung open and Shikamaru and Naruto both looked out into the pouring rain. Ino vanished into the blurry downpour.

"Ino! Come back!" Shikamaru shouted at the doorway, but Ino was already gone. Cursing under his breath, he sighed and looked back to Naruto. "At this point we assume he's targeting the Yamanaka Clan, we need to have them all brought back to the village until we can figure out his true motive."

"Okay," Naruto responded, nodding his head. He made a hand sign and vanished into a puff of smoke. Licking his lips, Shikamaru looked back to Ms. Yamanaka, who seemed very worried.

"I'll bring her back," Shikamaru assured the brunette woman, who looked to him and smiled weakly, nodding her head. Smiling weakly, Shikamaru ran out into the rain and went in search of the blonde girl. "Where are you going?" he wondered as he jumped over the white picket fence and onto the main streets of the village. It was completely empty due to the heavy rain, it was coming down so hard he could hardly see anything other than blurry shapes and outlines of buildings and lamppost.

He tried to think of where Ino would go as the rain soaked through his clothes and damped his skin. Looking in the direction of the training grounds, Shikamaru ran off knowing Ino would go to her and her dad's favorite training ground. He only hoped he would find her there, the last thing they needed was for her to run off and get captured. He wasn't sure if Takahiro's plan was to abduct the remaining members of the Yamanaka Clan, but for him to have killed the three other squads members and keep Chizuru alive, it was a highly probable theory. What he didn't understand is why he needed the Yamanaka Clan in the first place. They were a well known family after the war for it was their telepathic abilities that saved them during the war, without that form of communication between divisions there was a high chance the war would have ended very differently.

* * *

Her strawberry blonde hair was stuck to her face that was caked with dry blood and dirt smudges. As her dark blue eyes slowly came open, she looked around and grunted as she felt the a stinging in her wrist. Gritting her teeth, the young woman slowly lifted her head and looked up. Plastered onto her lean arms were streaks of blood, pouring from the cuts on her wrist. She tried to move, but it only caused her more pain. Whimpering a bit, the young woman stopped and cursed under her breath. Licking her lips, Chizuru Yamanaka looked around the faintly lighted room.

Stone walls of a rich red color surrounded her on all sides, no windows at all, just a simple square like room. The floors were wooden and scraped up, along the wall in front of her were shelves of books, beakers, glass jars, and what looked like potted plants. Swallowing hard, Chizuru looked down to the floor, her arms were so stiff, she had no idea how long she had been held like that. Her feet were mere inches above the ground and she saw a white cloth beneath her, stained with splatters of blood. She noticed her clothes were no longer on her body aside from her under garments. Off to the far right of the room there was a single door that was made of heavy metal and a single square of glass to see in through. Through the small window she saw a faint flicker of fire from a torchlight.

"So you have finally awakened," a husky voice filled the room. Chizuru gasped and looked around cautiously. The metal door creaked open and she saw a shadowed figure standing in the doorway, arm stretched out to keep it open. She smelt salt water air seeping past him, which meant she had to be near the ocean. "Don't look at me that way, you remind me of her. Those eyes...the color of rain." He stepped into the room and the door fell closed. Chizuru watched as he approached, his face still shrouded in the darkness.

"Why have you brought me here?" she managed to croak out, her throat scratchy and dry.

"You look like her," he whispered, stepping closer and holding out a gloves hand. "I am one step closer." When his hand touched her cheek, Chizuru stiffened and started to shiver. His malice was threatening and dangerous, she never felt such a darkness before.

"Who are you talking about?" the strawberry blonde asked as his hand gently caressed her face, brushing her hair over her slender shoulders.

"It doesn't matter," he spoke softly and Chizuru shook her head. "You are only a part."

"Part?" she repeated, coughing a bit as she spoke. "Why did you bring me here?" she inquired with a much firmer tone than she had been using. Chizuru had to push her fears and pain away, she had to be strong or it would be the end of her.

"This is the end for you," the man said and Chizuru's dark eyes widened in fear. He moved swiftly, pulling a katana from the scabbard tied to his back. The Yamanaka girl felt the hot tears coming down her cheeks and onto her long neck. "Find peace in the after life."

"NO!" Chizuru screamed as he raised the blade and in one quick motion sliced it across her neck. Blood splattered on the floor and the man let out a soft breath, wiping his blade on the crimson trench coat he wore. Sheathing the blade, he walked away quietly as Chizuru's blood stained the floor.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well we didn't get to 45 comments before this chapter, but I still appreciated all the comments I received! Hopefully this chapter was interesting, the end was fairly dark and probably has you all wondering what will happen next. So please share your thoughts and if you have any questions be sure to ask. I apologize for any/all typos. I promise to have more ShikaIno sexy time too in the next couple of chapters, thank for reading!

**Huge thanks to:** Rose Duchess, Kiyomi Inuzuka, sumtyms, guest, ShikaInoisthebest, and me! You guys rock!


	8. Blood

**Blood**

There she was in the middle of the training ground, hair sticking to her body as she sat on her knees. Her clothes clung to her lithe figure and her hands were hiding away her face. She was sobbing, he knew she was it was obvious by her posture and the trembling of her shoulders. The rain had slowed a bit, but it didn't look as though it was going to stop anytime soon. Taking in a deep breath, Shikamaru slowly let it out as he began walking over to her. He knelt down beside her and placed his hand softly on her shoulder. Ino continued to sob and Shikamaru frowned, today had been so difficult on her. All the emotions she'd been keeping away finally exploded and to hear that Chizuru, who was like a sister to her, was taken hostage broke her heart. Shikamaru looked up at the sky when thunder rumbled and the wind began to pick up. He needed to get Ino home and in dry clothes before she got sick.

"Ino we can't stay out here," Shikamaru spoke out gently, edging a bit closer to her.

"Everyone I care about is going to just disappear," Ino mumbled and Shikamaru let his head fall between his shoulders. He knew this would happen, losing half her clan, her father, Asuma, his own father, and now Chizuru. It was as though Ino's world was crumbling beneath her feet and soon she would fall too. He didn't want that too happen and he would do everything he could to make sure it wouldn't. Lifting his head up, Shikamaru reached for Ino's hands and gingerly pulled them down from her face. Due to the rain he couldn't see her tears, but he knew they were there.

"Hey, stop it," Shikamaru said gently, touching her cheek. He turned her to face him and smiled weakly, rubbing his thumb over her cheek. Ino looked at him, staring right into his warm hazel eyes. It was comforting to her, she felt her sadness fading a way just a little bit. "I'm here, your mother, Chouji, Sakura, Naruto, and everyone else. You won't be alone and we aren't going anywhere, so don't talk like that and don't think like that either." He removed his hand from her face and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss at the top of her head. She smiled weakly and closed her eyes to the touch of his soft lips against her skin. When he pulled back, he smiled down at her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Who was Naruto talking about?" Ino inquired, looking down at her hands resting in her lap. "Why would he take Chizuru hostage?" Shikamaru shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know much about the situation yet, but he intended to find out for her sake. They would have to save Chizuru, losing another person would crush Ino.

"We'll find her, Ino, I promise we will," Shikamaru swore with a glow of sincerity in his eyes. That comforted Ino, so she nodded her head and took in a sharp breath. Shikamaru smiled weakly and put his arm around her back. "Come on, let's get you out of the rain." He helped her onto her feet and she shivered in the cold wind that whipped past them. Keeping one arm around her back, Shikamaru put his other arm at the bend of her knees and swept her into his arms, bridal style.

* * *

Tsunade sat at her desk and rubbed her temples as she looked down at the documents scattered on her desk. Yamato stood in front of her large desk, looking straight ahead out the window to the dreary view of the rainy Konoha skyline. Naruto was also in the room, leaning up against the wall with his eyes downcast towards the floor. Shizune held the little pig TonTon in her arms and stood behind Tsunade with a grimace on her face. The busty blonde laced her fingers together and shook her head, three ANBU shinobi killed and one being held hostage. She hadn't expected the mission to end in a complete failure. It was a simple recon mission, nothing difficult, but Takahiro wasn't letting anyone near him. Biting her lip, Tsunade tried to think of the next move to make. She was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that three ANBU were dead. Takahiro knew they were tracking him now and that meant he would be on guard. He wouldn't let them get him so easily and it was obvious he wasn't going to just runaway.

A knock came to the door and Tsunade told the person so enter. As the door came open, Tsunade's eyes fell upon Shikamaru Nara, who was soaked to the bone. He pulled off his flak jacket and tossed it onto the couch on the right side of the room. "Sorry, I had to get Ino home," Shikamaru explained as he shut the door behind him and looked to Naruto, Yamato, and finally to Tsunade. "How long has ANBU been tracking this Takahiro Kuzuryu?"

Tsunade licked her lips and looked up at Shikamaru. "We've known of him for two months and have been tracking him for a little over a month." The lazy shinobi nodded his head and let out a breath, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants. He stared at the ground for a moment and looked up at Tsunade. Aside from glancing at the scroll Yamato had given to him a few hours ago, Shikamaru knew very little of Kuzuryu. "Shikamaru how much do you know about the Kuzuryu clan?" Tsunade inquired with a raised brow, sitting back in her chair.

"Not much at all," Shikamaru answered honestly with a small shrug. Tsunade nodded her head and turned her chair around, watching the rain fall over the village she was to protect. "Enlighten me, Lady Tsunade, who is this man?" Shikamaru slouched where he stood and waited for the woman to say something to him. She stood up from her chair and walked towards the window and leaned against the window sill.

"He's the last of his clan, which was a clan once renowned all over the world as one of the greatest shinobi clans," Tsunade began and let her head fall between her shoulders. When she was sixteen years old, the Kuzuryu clan had been wiped off the face of the planet with very few survivors. She assumed that only eight clans members had survived out of the three dozen that once existed on the small island located a day away from the south Kirigakure coast. "A long time ago the clan was wiped out because of their power, people feared them, they were masters of genjutsu and tamers of dragons."

"Dragons?" Shikamaru repeated in disbelief. He had never heard of a clan that used dragons before, maybe hundreds of years ago, but not recently. Dragons were powerful and wild best, almost impossible to tame. To Shikamaru's knowledge dragons had refused to aid humans because of their greed for power and money, even if it was as a summoning. "Dragons haven't been used in centuries."

"The Kuzuryu clan is a special case," Yamato interjected before Tsunade had the chance to say anything. Shikamaru looked at the ANBU Commander and nodded his head slowly, waiting for him to continue his explanation. "They owned nine dragons, but the daimyo of the Land of Water, paid the Kiri shinobi to annihilate them. The village the Kuzuryu founded and lived in was left in ashes, nothing survived aside from a few young children. Takahiro was one of the survivors he was only seven years old at the time. Now here we are many years later and he's come back."

"So why is he targeting the Yamanaka clan? And why are we taking initiative in stopping him? Shouldn't Kirigakure be handling him?" Shikamaru asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

"We're not sure why he's after the Yamanaka clan or if he is at all, but the only reason we've become involved in the first place is because he's been using forbidden jutsus within the Land of Fire," Tsunade explained and pushed off the window sill. When she turned around, her blonde hair fell over her shoulders and she crossed her arms over her chest. "And now he's killed three of our shinobi and is holding another captive, it's personal now." Moving closer to her desk, she pressed her palms down on the desk and supported her weight.

"So what now?" Shikamaru asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me," Tsunade replied softly and looked down at the documents of the shinobi that had been sent out to find out what Takahiro was doing. Chizuru had managed to get a very short message to Yamato telepathically, but it barely gave them any leads. "Chizuru's message was short and gave barely any leads, all we know is that her teammates were killed and Takahiro has taken her."

"And there has been no other contact?" Shikamaru asked, tilting his head slightly. Tsunade shook her head and Yamato pressed his lips together in a firm line. "Next to Ino, Chizuru is the best at telepathic communication. Are we sure she's still alive?"

"Why would he take her at all though only to kill her later?" Naruto questioned, jumping in suddenly. He pushed off the wall and walked up to Shikamaru, who turned to face him and nodded slowly.

"I'm not sure why, but I have to assume the worst. The Yamanaka clan can communicate telepathically, how long has it been since you've heard from her?" Shikamaru asked, looking to Yamato.

"Three hours, give or take," Yamato responded with a shrug. "She could be unconscious though."

"Another possibility to be sure, but why Chizuru?" Shikamaru questioned, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together in his mind. He couldn't seem to get it together though, nothing was adding up. "Chizuru is an excellent kuniochi, but she is nothing worth taking captive. Hinata Hyuga would be a more likely target with the Byakugan, but not someone without a special bloodline, it makes no sense. And I doubt he'd rape her and kill her for shits and giggles, we're missing something." Shikamaru sighed and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had a long night ahead of him and a lot of research to do. They had to move fast, every moment that past the less likely they were to find Chizuru or Takahiro. Letting his hand drop to his side, Shikamaru looked to Tsunade, who had sat back down in her chair and rested her forehead on her knuckles.

"All fair points," Tsunade said, lifting her head and Shikamaru looked at her. "Shikamaru I'm putting you in charge of this, forty-eight hours, I want a team and plan to find Chizuru."

"Okay." Shikamaru nodded his head and turned on his heels. He walked towards the couch and grabbed his flak jacket, throwing it over his shoulder.

"Shikamaru," Tsunade called and the lazy ninja stopped at the door, but didn't look back. "It would be wise if you kept Ino out of this, she's been-"

"I know," Shikamaru interrupted and opened up the door. He stepped out and shut the door. The moment it was closed, Shikamaru sighed and licked his lips before walking on down the corridor. He was going to stop by his office and grab the scroll he had been given earlier that afternoon and head straight to the Intelligence Division to see what he could dig up in their archives.

* * *

Twenty books, fifteen scrolls, and nine photos later Shikamaru found himself with more questions than answers. Resting his head in his hands, Shikamaru groaned and brought the heels of his palms into his eyes, rubbing away the exhaustion. It didn't help very much at all though, he'd been inside the archives of the Intelligence Division for nearly twenty-four hours with no food or water or rest. There was very little information on the Kuzuryu Clan, he assumed most of it had been lost when the invasion happened several years ago. Licking his lips, Shikamaru leaned back in the wooden chair and it creak under his weight. He knew he would need to get something to eat and sleep soon otherwise he'd be even more irritated and useless. Rubbing the back of his neck, the tactician pushed away from the table and stood up. The chair scrapped against the tile floor as he pushed it back under the table.

It must have been either late at night or early in the morning because no one else was in the archives. There was no sound at all aside from the ticking of the ceiling fans overhead, humming rhythmically as they spun round and round. He looked down at the table that was covered in his notes, photos, and different books and scrolls. Shaking his head, Shikamaru decided to get some fresh air before returning to his search. Tsunade would want a plan from him soon and he wanted to have one, he wanted to make sure Ino and the remaining members of her clan would be safe. As her teammate and a member of the Nara clan, it was his job to protect her.

Shikamaru yawned and stuffed his hands into his pockets, making his way to the double doors on the other side of the building. The library was very dimly lit, it was almost ghostly and eerie. If he hadn't been to the restricted area of the library before, he proudly would have been a bit nervous. He was quite accustomed to it though, he had spent many days here looking up old war tactics and biographies of past ninja all in the name of helping Tsunade prepare teams for missions. As he got to the double doors, he turned around and pushed his back against the door since he was too lazy to pull his hands from his pockets. When he stepped through the threshold and spun around on his heels, he stumbled back when he was met by a woman in a white lab coat and a red dress.

"Shiho?" Shikamaru questioned, tilting his head. The woman with pale blonde frizzing hair, looked up at him and blushed a bit as she adjusted her glasses. "You're up early." He noticed that the sun was just barely beginning to rise over the rolling hills in the far off distance.

"Shikamaru," she greeted with a smile and pressed her lips in a firm line. "What are you doing here?"

"Research," Shikamaru replied and side stepped, holding the door open for the woman. She was carrying two boxes that were filled with a few scrolls and some books. "Shiho you wouldn't happen to know anything about the Kuzuryu clan?" he tried, hoping she would be able to give him a lead. She was after all a master of cryptology, surely she had at least heard of the name. He saw her in the archives of the Intelligence Division quite frequently, she probably knew something.

"Kuzuryu? Aren't they from the Land of Waves?" she asked and he nodded his head, hope beginning to shine in his eyes. If she could help him, it would speed up the process ten-fold. "I've heard the name...unfortunately I don't know much about them."

"What do you know? Or do you know where I can find more information on them." Shikamaru took the boxes away from her, so that she wouldn't have to keep carrying them. His hands gently brushed against hers and she started to get all tongue tied. Shikamaru never understood why she got like that, she always seemed so drawn and taken with him.

"Uh, yeah...you can umm...follow me," Shiho mumbled, her cheeks flushed pink. Shikamaru smiled and thanked her as she walked inside and he followed her right back into the musty old library. He followed her right back into the restricted section. She stopped at a large wooden cabinet with glass doors that was locked up. Reaching into her pocket, Shiho pulled out a key and unlocked the cabinet. It creaked open and she reached into for a scroll laying on the top shelf. She dusted it off and handed it over to him. Shikamaru placed the two boxes he was carrying down on the table and grabbed the scroll. "It's the Second Hokage's notes on the Kuzuryu clan, it isn't much but hopefully it'll help."

"It will, thanks Shiho," Shikamaru smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. The girl bit her lower lip and gushed a bit, giggling slightly. "I'll put it back after I read it." He held the scroll up and wandered over to the table he had been at moments ago. Pulling out the chair, the screech echoed through the room and Shikamaru sat down. He opened up the scroll and saw the writing was a bit faded and smeared, but for the most part it was legible.

"Why are you looking into the Kuzuryu clan?" Shiho asked from behind him. Shikamaru lifted his gaze and glanced over his shoulder. He saw her putting the books and scrolls from the boxes onto various shelves in the restricted section.

"It's for a mission," Shikamaru answered simply as he went back to reading the scroll. As his hazel eyes skimmed the page, he continued un-scrolling the document. Furrowing his brows, Shikamaru noticed a drawing that was smeared and a little torn up at the edge.

"I didn't realize that any members of the Kuzuryu clan was left," Shiho commented as she walked over to the table. She looked down at the scroll and titled her head. He was looking at a sketch of someone, it was of a female, long hair, very elegant, almost like a princess and she had big round eyes. "This is supposed to be of Princess Ai."

"Princess Ai?" Shikamaru repeated in questioned, looking up at Shiho for more information.

"Yes, she was their...priestess, I guess you could say." Shiho shrugged her shoulders and Shikamaru nodded his head. This may have been his lead, if he could find more information on this Princess Ai, he might figure out more about the Kuzuryu clan. His eyes gazed back at the girl, something was very familiar about her. She was obviously beautiful with long hair that was light in color and her eyes seemed to have a sparkle in them, or at least that's how the Second Hokage had portrayed her. "She was once believed to the most beautiful woman in the Land of Waves."

"What happened to her?" Shikamaru asked, putting the scroll down on the table.

"She was killed, but there isn't much on her death other than it was murder. It wasn't too much later that the shinobi of Kiri destroyed the village."

"This clan is just one big mystery," Shikamaru grumbled as he rubbed his temples. He was about to say more when the sound of padding footsteps caught his attention. His eyes darted to the left and Shiho turned around when someone called his name and began to pant. "Kiba? What's wrong?"

"We have to go to training ground now like right now," Kiba explained almost breathlessly. Furrowing his brows, Shikamaru could see the urgency as Kiba left in a hurry. Worry started to fill in Shikamaru's gut and mind, he didn't like it when people came looking for him in a panic, nothing good ever came of it. Taking off after the wild eyed brunette, Shikamaru apologized to Shiho for ending their discussion so abruptly and ran off behind Kiba.

As he was running through the streets, he could see Kiba just a block ahead of him. He told himself to keep calm and try not to think negatively, but he was failing terribly. All he could think was that Ino had been hurt, training ground ten was the Yamanaka's favorite training ground. It was early though so Ino could very well be safe at home. His mind then wondered if maybe another Yamanaka member had been taken or killed. Shaking his head, Shikamaru started moving faster nearly catching up with Kiba.

The morning dew on the grass soaked the hems of his black pants and his shoes. The musky scent of fog filled his nose and the sun began to break through the trees in small gold and red slivers. Shikamaru was now running along side Kiba as they passed the training grounds. "Kiba, what's going on?" Shikamaru asked as they continued to move as fast as their legs could carry them.

"It's best if you just see for yourself," Kiba announced as they weaved through the trees. Shikamaru didn't much care for that answer, so he decided to just be patient, they were close anyways. Breaking through the forest, they came into a large opening, it was training ground ten. He and Kiba slowed down when they saw Yamato, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto standing mid-way through the clearing.

"What's going on?" Shikamaru asked as he approached the four before him. By the looks on their faces he knew it wasn't anything good. Yamato seemed distressed, Kakashi sullen, Sasuke didn't seem much different at all, but Naruto seemed a bit disturbed. Licking his lips, Shikamaru tasted a bit of sweat. He wasn't sure if he was beading up with sweat from his run or if his nerves were getting the best of him. "Someone say something!" Shikamaru snapped when no one spoke for what seemed like an eternity to him.

"Come with me, Shikamaru," Kakashi said simply and turned on his heels. Watching the silver haired jounin for a moment, Shikamaru took in a sharp breath and followed him. The others remained where they were and Shikamaru started to worry about what Kakashi was going to show him. Just beyond the tree line there was another small clearing where Shikamaru saw four ANBU standing guard. They allowed them to pass and Kakashi stopped walking, looking back over his shoulder at the young tactician. "This isn't a pretty sight," Kakashi mentioned just before Shikamaru moved around him.

The breath in his lungs escaped him and his knees went weak, causing him to fall back onto his butt. He shook his head, eyes widened by the horror before him. Nothing could have prepared him for what he had just seen. No amount of war or death was as gruesome as what he was looking at now. His stomach churned and it took everything in him to not vomit on the lush green grass he'd fallen on. The sickening sight would probably haunt him for weeks, months, possibly even years. Closing his eyes, Shikamaru looked down at the ground and felt a hand grab his arm. He was easily pulled up onto his feet and steadied by the Copy Ninja.

"When did they find her?" Shikamaru questioned, looking to Kakashi. He didn't dare look back at the scene that was just a few steps away from him. Just when Kakashi was about to answer, Shikamaru heard Tsunade's voice coming up. He turned to the sound and saw the blonde busty Hokage walking forth with Naruto and Yamato on either side of her.

"The medical team is coming, we'll get this mess cleaned up quickly," Tsunade said and her eyes fell on Shikamaru. "What have you found out?" the woman asked him.

"Very little," Shikamaru admitted and took in a breath as he slowly turned his attention back to the horrid scene behind him. He felt the bile bubbling up his throat, they had been too late.

Tied up from the tree branches, Chizuru Yamanaka's corpse hung completely naked, blood dried onto her pale skin. Her mouth had been sewn shut by wires, her eyes closed, hair matted to her neck, falling just past her breast. It looked as though she had been beaten several, with purple and black splotches located on random parts of her body. In the middle of her neck there was a large slit that had once oozed blood, but now it was all dried up. Sliced into the skin of her belly was a single word 'eyes'. Her wrist were held by razor wire that was cutting deep into her skin and the blood was caked onto it. She looked as though she had been crucified and was now floating in the air, when in reality someone had strung her up.

Shikamaru never thought this would be what he would find on training ground ten. Ino's cousin, dead, hanging by razor wire, completely drained of her blood, and beaten into a bag of broken boys and torn skin. He let out a breath and shook his head, Chizuru was humiliated and terrorized the entire time she was missing. Even in death, she was left with not a single shred of dignity. Clenching his fist tightly, Shikamaru cursed and stared down at the ground. Ino would be devastated by this news, she would crumbled away and let her sorrow consume her.

"Lady Hokage, the medical team has arrived," Kiba spoke out as he came walking up with five medical ninja following behind him. Shikamaru could hear their breaths hitch and could feel their fear, not once had they ever come across something like this in the village.

"Shikamaru," Tsunade called his name and he turned to face her, his face paled from the scene behind him. "We have reason to believe he will strike again, time is ticking."

"Lady Tsunade there is no information on this clan, at least not here in the village." Shikamaru pressed his lips together and let out a breath. "I'll need to search elsewhere."

"Where did you have in mind?" Tsunade asked with a raised brow.

"The Land of Waves," Shikamaru responded, looking the woman right in the eye. She nodded, knowing full well that that would be the perfect place to search. Despite the Ninja Alliance and the strong bond that the five nation had, Tsunade feared that Kirigakure would be willing to release classified information to an outsider. "I'll assemble a team and we'll leave tomorrow at dawn."

"Shikamaru they may not share the information they have," Tsunade pointed out.

"I understand, but I can't let this happen to Ino or any of the Yamanaka clan members."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the wait everyone! I hope this chapter was worth the wait though, I tried my best on typos and grammar mistakes, but I still always make mistakes. In any case, leave your thoughts and I would love to know what you're thinking so far. Thanks for reading and for the continued support!

**Huge thanks to:** guest, sumtyms, Kiyomi Inuzuka, ShikaInoisthebest, Shikaino, me, and Xo56oX!


	9. Ashes

**Author's Note: **This chapter was inspired by Ed Sheeran's song _**Kiss Me**, _I highly suggest you listen to it while you read it. Otherwise, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Ashes**

That evening, Shikamaru found himself on Ino's doorstep. He couldn't seem to bring himself to knock on the door, he already knew Ino knew about Chizuru's death. The only good thing was that she didn't see the scene. He couldn't seem to shake those images, a mangled corpse tied up, dried of blood, and completely humiliated. The torture and terror she must have gone through before she died, Shikamaru couldn't even begin to imagine it. Closing his eyes, Shikamaru took in a deep breath and knocked on the door. When he heard the sound of the lock click followed by the door creaking open, Shikamaru opened his eyes and let out a breath. His hazel eyes feel upon Ino, who looked pale and frail, standing there in a gray baggy t-shirt and purple shorts. He was about to say something, but Ino never gave him the chance as she ran into his arms.

Sobs shook her body and Shikamaru frowned, closing his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her. Rubbing her back in a comforting manner, he sighed softly and pulled her closer to him. She broke down and fell against him, he held her up easily and cursed under his breath. A few days ago, Ino was that happy go lucky girl and now she was falling apart at the seams. Pulling away from her, Shikamaru lifted her face up and watched as the tears fell down her face. Pressing his lips in a firm line, Shikamaru rubbed her tears away with his thumbs and tried to sooth her. Ino tried to say something, but she couldn't stop sniffling and sobbing and weeping. Shushing her, Shikamaru pulled her into his warm embrace and kissed the top of her head, rocking her very gently in his arms.

"Let's go inside," Shikamaru whispered into her ear, walking into the house never letting go of Ino. He pushed the door shut with his foot and Ino let go of him, making her way to the living room. "Where's your mom?" Shikamaru asked, surprised that the house was incredibly quiet. Normally at the time, Ms. Yamanaka would be making something delicious for dinner. He assumed after hearing the news of Chizuru, she went to see the rest of the family. Ino sat down on the off-white couch that was across the room with a large bay window behind her, overlooking their beautiful garden.

The sun shined through, casting the room in a warm orange glow. Curling up on the couch, Ino sighed softly and wiped away her silent falling tears. She grabbed one of the throw pillows and pulled it into her chest, burying her face into it. Taking off his flak jacket, Shikamaru hung it on the hook in the foyer and kicked off his shoes. He walked over to her and took a seat on the couch. She sniffled and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. He didn't even know what to say to her, he knew that anything he said would be insufficient. When his eyes met her blue ones, he just wanted to take away all her sadness. He wanted to see those blue eyes that were filled with joy, not despair and pain.

Ino looked at him and sighed softly. She was trying to stop crying, but for some reason she couldn't seem to stop. Chizuru was like her sister, when Commander Yamato had come to the flower shop that morning and told them what happened, she crumbled. Everyone she loved was leaving, vanishing into thin air and she felt powerless to stop it. Ino couldn't stand loosing anymore people she cared about, she just couldn't. When she felt Shikamaru's hand touch her, she looked at him and pressed her lips together in a tight line. He nodded for her to come closer and she smiled weakly, crawling across the couch to him.

Tucking herself into his side and resting her head on his chest, Ino closed her eyes and let out a breath. His arm fell around her and he rubbed her back with the tips of his fingers. Ino put her hand on his chest, feeling his lean muscles beneath his shirt. Opening her eyes slowly, Ino stared at the picture on the armoire that television was tucked in. Her blue eyes could barely see the image of her and Shikamaru on their tenth birthdays due to the glare from the setting sun. It was one of her favorite pictures of them. She had been chasing Shikamaru around their yard and slapped some cake onto his face. He had this scowl on his face while she was laughing so hard that tears had formed in her eyes. Her dad had taken the picture of them, the best picture they had together.

"Are you hungry?" Ino asked, sniffling a bit as she lifted her head.

"Yeah," Shikamaru replied, nodding his head and looked down at her. He smiled warmly at her and Ino smiled back, pushing away from him.

"I'll make your favorite," Ino said as she got up and walked to the kitchen. Shikamaru watched her for a moment and stood up. He saw the picture of the two of them on their tenth birthday and suppressed a laugh. Those were the good old days when their world was just school and playing out in the streets. The days when their world was just a few blocks wide, they came so far in those tens years since that picture was taken. If someone told him he'd be Chief Tactician of Konoha and would fight in a war along side thousands of other shinobi from different villages, he'd never believe them.

"You remember what my favorite food is?" Shikamaru asked, walking into the kitchen, leaning against the breakfast bar. Ino stifled a laugh and looked at him, placing her hands on her hips.

"Yes, and I bet you couldn't tell me mine," Ino challenged and Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"Cherry tomatoes, but you also have a soft spot for creme caramel," Shikamaru said and smiled at her. He pushed away from the breakfast bar and came over to her. She looked up at him as his arms trapped her up against the open counter space behind her. "You hate sashimi, you love to shop, your favorite flower are poppies, and your favorite color is lavender." Ino smiled at him, he knew her much better than she expected. Shikamaru looked down at her and placed a hand on the side of her face. She turned into his warm touch and closed her eyes.

"I'm impressed, you do pay attention," Ino spoke softly. Shikamaru chuckled a bit and looked into her eyes when she stared up at him. Placing her hands on his shoulder, Ino pushed herself up onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. Her eyes were closed and Shikamaru smiled against the kiss, closing his own eyes as he kissed her back. His hands moved from the counter tiles to her curvy hips. He lowered himself and grabbed the back of her thighs and lifted her up, placing her down on the counter. When they pulled apart, Ino rested her head against his and sighed softly. "I know you came here for a reason, what is it?" She pulled back and placed her hands on his face, stroking it gently.

"I'm taking a squad to Kiri," Shikamaru said softly and Ino looked away from him. "We'll be gone a couple of weeks." Ino let out a breath and smiled weakly, nodding her head stiffly. He knew she didn't want him to leave, but he also knew she wouldn't stop him.

"Just be careful," Ino whispered and Shikamaru smiled at her, nodding his head. He leaned forward and captured her lips in another sweet and passionate kiss. She reached for his hair tie and pulled it out, running her fingers through his hair. Grabbing hold of Ino's thighs, he lifted her up and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders.

Shikamaru and her continued to kiss as he carried her down to her bedroom at the end of the hallway. His mouth was so foreign, yet familiar at the same time. It intoxicated her, her skin was crawling, her heart was beating, and his warm and tender touch on her legs. She heard him groan and the squeaking of her bedroom door. As they slipped through the threshold, Shikamaru kicked the door shut and turned around. He slowly sat down on the bed and reached for the hem of Ino's shirt. Pulling it over her head, he tossed it aside and captured her lips again in a rough, yet tender kiss. His body he was so inviting and it made her toes curl, she smiled against the kiss and bit his lip gently tugging on it. Shikamaru moaned and moved his hands up the smooth skin of her back, stopping to undo her bra.

When it came unclasped, Ino pulled away and looked into Shikamaru's eye breathlessly. Those eyes had charmed her, watched over her, and when he smiled at her, Ino finally surrendered to him. Her fingers tangled up in his hair, her body straddling him down onto her bed, his hands keeping her body warm, and his chest pressed against hers. It felt like love, it felt perfect, it felt like true passion. His lips went to her neck and she closed her eyes, letting her head fall back ever so slightly. Her blonde hair poured over her shoulders and down her back, pooling on Shikamaru's lap. There was a fire burning in the pit of Shikamaru's stomach, kissing Ino, touching her, being intimate with her, it all just felt right.

Everything seemed to disappear as Shikamaru's hands roamed her body. She forgot the pain, the sadness, the grief, and just melted into him. He held her in his arms and it just made her feel like she was loved and not alone. Opening her eyes, she looked back down at him as he stopped kissing her. Shikamaru stared into her eyes like he was searching for something. They closed the moment Ino leaned against him, pressing her lips to his, her tongue gently slipping into his mouth. Their tongues danced for a moment before Shikamaru pulled back and breathed. His warm breath against her neck and chest caused butterflies to flutter in her stomach. Reaching down for his shirt, Ino yanked it off of him and let it drop to the floor. He smiled at her and gripped her thighs, lifting them both off of the bed. Turning on his heels easily, Shikamaru placed Ino down on the bed and crawled on top of her.

Their lips touched again, gently, but it soon turned wild as Ino sat up and flipped him over. She crawled on top of him, arching her back slightly as his hand caressed her skin. He reached for her purple shorts and slid them down to the bend of her knees. Ino smiled against the kiss and pulled back to let out a gasp when Shikamaru's finger touched her bead ever so gently. It made her weak as he touched her there, slowly bringing his finger up her center, cupping her breast that hung loosely above him. His fingers smoothed over her hardening nipples and she bit her lip to keep from moaning.

In one swift movement, Shikamaru flipped Ino over and laid between her legs. His eyes were filled with endless desire, this burning lust and want. She swallowed and moved her hands to his pants, feeling him, which caused him to curse.

"Ino," he huffed, but she shook her head and undid the button and zipper of his pants, pushing them from his hips along with his boxers. Her eyes never left his as she pulled his pants down, exposing his naked figure to her. When her hand touched him, smoothly, softly, causing him to shudder, Shikamaru captured her lips in another passionate kiss, hungry with desire. Ino arched her back as his hands massaged her breast and traveled down to her womanhood, stroking her and causing her to squirm.

Cradled in her hips, Shikamaru pushed the tip of himself against her. Ino clawed at his back and let out a breath. She wanted him, she wanted to feel him, this time alcohol would not be the cause of them being together in such an intimate manner. Ino moaned and squirmed as he began trailing kiss and little nips down her neck, breast, stomach, and when his hot breath brushed over her thighs, this burst of ecstasy rippled through her. His touches were thorough, thoughtful, and hungry. She felt like he was taking her away from everything, to a paradise only he could bring her too. His tongue moved around her folds, exploring her with each flick and sucking motion. This pleasure was almost forbidden to her, no one had ever been able to make her feel this special and loved. Every move made her shift and moan.

"Shikamaru that...feels amazing," she muttered breathlessly.

He kicked his pants off and pulled her down the rest of the way before returning to her lower regions. Ino gasped and arched her back, gripping the blankets on her bed tightly. Shikamaru's lips and tongue sent such a sensation though her, this feeling boiling deep within her, nothing could describe it. An uneven hiss escaped her and her toes curled under tightly as the sensation built up so high she felt like she was going to burst. Her hand reached his head and she just wanted to keep him there as he created this pleasure. Biting her lip, Ino tried to hold back her scream from the encroaching ecstasy building inside.

He must have known she was about to burst, because with one last flick of his tongue, victory was his. Ino gripped his shoulder, arched her back, and moaned as the wave of pleasure surged through her entire body. It was wild, tasteful, and electrifying.

Shikamaru lifted himself over her and kissed her lips, so she could taste herself on him. She stroked his member, thick and hard, ready to penetrate deep inside of her walls. Moving her fingers softly over his tip, Shikamaru let out a pleasurable groan. His hand touched hers and he pulled her hand off of him. Ino kissed his neck, biting at the base were it met his shoulder. Guiding himself into her, Ino moaned and gripped his shoulders tightly as he filled her up. Instinct came over Ino and she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer and deeper, making it even more pleasurable for the both of them.

She felt his tremors, it made her feel connected to him. Her hands moved down his spine, touching him so gently it was barely noticeable. Smiling as the excitement and pleasure built with every movement and thrust Shikamaru made, Ino moaned as he kissed her breast, sucking on them, and massaging them. The intensity was building as their bodies rocked together, moving as one, building each other up, and going so far. His erection was throbbing within her and it made her want to scream as he pushed himself harder and deeper into her.

Fireworks; that's how Ino would describe it.

Fast, beautiful, shocking, and intense, the feeling of fireworks on a summer night against a dark sky. Ino moaned as Shikamaru buried his face in her neck, plunging into her hard, causing her to scream out his name in pleasure. The fulfillment was like millions of lightning bolts taking her over. It was sexy and sweet, passionate and truthful.

"Oh Kami Ino," Shikamaru groaned several times as he felt himself getting lost within her, spilling into her. Ino panted as he collapsed on her, panting just as heavily. It felt like he had been laying there for hours, but really it was only a few short moments. Carefully, Shikamaru pulled back and Ino felt him slip out of her and lay beside her. He touched her face and she looked at him for a few moments before closing her eyes as he placed a loving kiss on her lips. "I love you, Ino. I love you."

She smiled at him and rested her head on his chest whispering, "I love you too, Shikamaru."

* * *

The next morning, Ino's eyes slowly fluttered open to the sound of birds chirping at her window. Her blue eyes stared up at the ceiling for a moment before she stretched her arms out to the side and sat up. The memories came flooding back to her and she looked to the side of the bed Shikamaru had been on the previous night. Biting her lip, Ino brought a hand to her mouth and smiled a bit. She turned her attention to the clock on the bedside table, it was 6:00am and the sun was just now breaking through the white lace curtains. Pulling the blanket from her body, Ino rushed to her closet and grabbed some fresh clothes to cover up her naked form. Shikamaru would be leaving any minute now, and she wasn't going to let him leave without saying goodbye.

Slipping on her underwear, Ino grabbed a light green t-shirt and pulled it on. She walked out of the closet and pulled a drawer of her dresser open, grabbing her favorite beige capri pants. She quickly brushed her hair and started tying it up in her usual ponytail as she walked out of her bedroom. When she got to the front door, Ino slipped on her sandals and unlocked the door. Running out into the garden area of the shop, she quickly rushed across the lawn and into the flower shop.

Ino got onto the street and looked in the direction of the main gates. Taking in a deep breath, Ino ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She could feel her heart racing and her lungs burning, but she wasn't going to stop. Rounding a corner, Ino could see the gates just up ahead and a group of shinobi standing at the entrance. The light blinded her, but she knew they were there from the stretching shadows on the ground.

"Shikamaru!" Ino shouted loudly and one of the figures stopped and turned around. She slowed down when she could see him standing there. Panting heavily, Ino looked down at the ground and felt the sweat beading on her brow. The late summer weather was balmy, but it was always her favorite time.

"Ino what are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked, walking over to her. She smiled weakly at him and looked over his shoulder at the squad he was leading. Three others: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuga. "I can't talk, I have to go." Shikamaru was dressed in his complete jounin gear with a pack on his shoulders. She looked away from the three behind him and nodded her head, knowingly.

"I just didn't want you to leave without saying goodbye," Ino explained, walking closer to him. He shook his head and sighed, Ino was such a troublesome woman. "And I want you to promise you'll be careful."

Shikamaru put his hand on her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb saying, "First of all, it's 'see you later' and second of all, I'm always careful." He smiled at her and leaned forward placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Don't worry, Ino, we'll watch his back," Naruto said as he came walking up in his orange and black flame design trench coat. His blue eyes were shining with promise and Ino knew full well that he was promising her he would watch over him. She walked up to Naruto and placed her hands on his shoulders. "We'll be back in no time." He winked at her and Ino nodded her head, smiling warmly. She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Don't be stupid out there, Naruto," Ino warned him and the boy laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Be careful...all of you." She looked back at Hinata and Sasuke too, who both nodded to her. Sighing softly, Ino looked up at Shikamaru and he nodded to her before turning on his heels.

"It'll be okay, Ino, I promise."

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**Author's Note:** So who liked this chapter? Was that a nice steamy goodbye? Well, until next chapter everyone, give me some feedback and love! Thanks for reading!

**Huge thanks to:** Rose Duchess, shikaino, Guest, sumtyms, and Kiyomi Inuzuka!


	10. Gossip

**Gossip**

Shikamaru and his team had left three days ago. She already missed him and tried to keep herself busy with hospital work and making bouquets at the flower shop. Her blue eyes studied the ribbons she was tying around a few of the vases that she was going to display up in the front window. Grabbing some sunflowers, Ino placed three in each of the vases and nodded in approval. The blonde flicked her hair over her shoulder and carried the vases out to the front window. As she started placing them on the display shelves, the bells on the door jingled and Ino looked up to greet the customer. Her eyes fell upon bubblegum pink hair and bright green jade eyes, dressed in a white nurse outfit.

"Hey there, Sakura," Ino greeted with a smile. The pinkette that entered the shop smiled back and waved at her blonde haired friend. "I didn't know you were coming to see me." She put the last vase on the shelf and walked over to her friend standing near the doorway.

"Well I just got off for the day and I'm off tomorrow, I thought we should catch up," Sakura explained with a shrug. Ino nodded and waved for Sakura to follow her towards the work bench in the back of the shop. They both sat down on the metal stools at the work bench and looked at each other. "How are you?" Sakura asked with this worried glow in her eyes. Ino knew this was coming, Chizuru's funeral had been the other day and Shikamaru was out on a mission, Chouji wasn't coming back until tomorrow, it would only make sense that Sakura would come to check on her.

"I'm fine," Ino answered with a sullen smile on her lips. Sakura tilted her head as if she didn't believe Ino, which was understandable. Her cousin's death hit her hard, but she knew that only meant one thing, she would need to train. Ino was the next in line to be head of her clan and she was going to protect them. "Don't worry about me, Sakura, I'm tough." The blonde winked at her friend, who sighed softly and nodded her head.

Sakura didn't deny Ino was a tough girl, she always had been. Every time Sakura started making progress, Ino was right there behind her. She had excelled in her medical practices, while she wasn't as good as Sakura or Tsunade, she was definitely above average. Physically Ino was tough for a kuniochi, she was swift and ruthless. Her greatest strength though was gathering information and infiltration, being a Yamanaka though that was to be expected. Lately though, Ino had been keeping a low profile, she hadn't been training much at all. She hadn't even gone on a mission in six months, she stuck around the hospital, flower shop, and academy. Sakura knew that Ibiki had been trying to get her to join the Torture and Interrogation unit, but Ino kept refusing him.

"I'm glad," Sakura finally spoke and Ino smiled. "So you and Shikamaru, what's up with that?" the pinkette inquired, wiggling her brows. She decided to make the subject much more light hearted, hoping to keep Ino's spirits up. It didn't take a genius to see that Ino was still a bit glum about the whole mess.

"What?" Ino asked, blinking a few times while Sakura just laughed. "Oh like you're one to talk, what about you and Naruto, huh?" The pinkette blushed quickly and Ino beamed, she knew something had to have happened on their date. Unfortunately, Naruto was on that mission so she couldn't harass him about it, but Sakura would be just as fun.

"Nothing happened," Sakura retorted, shrugging her shoulders. Ino cackled and sputtered, waving that off. She wasn't dumb, for Sakura to blush that much and Naruto had become quite the looker. There was no way they just went out to eat and went their separate ways, something had to have happened, she was positive. The blonde just eyed her, waiting for Sakura to crack under the pressure of her accusing gaze. She could see the stars in Sakura's eyes, Naruto must have kissed her or something. "Stop looking at me like that." Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and Ino raised a brow at her.

"Did you two kiss?" Ino questioned in a happy tone.

"Ino you know me," Sakura explained, looking at her best friend. "I never kiss and tell."

"Oh brother!" Ino exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Wait...did you do something more?" The blonde wiggled her brows and leaned on the work bench. Sakura and Naruto were close, best friends, and secretly in love with each other. There was just no way they could have gone on a romantic date and not have done something. Ino knew they probably held hands, played footsies, flirted, and probably made eyes at each other, but she had a feeling it went much further than that. Naruto had had a crush on Sakura for years, but that crush hit Sakura when he came back from his training with master Jiraiya five years ago. After the war though, that crush blossomed into love.

"My lips are sealed, besides this is about you and Shikamaru," Sakura pointed out, winking at her friend. Ino shook her head and rolled her eyes, Sakura would keep turning the tables until she got something juicy. Unfortunately, Ino had nothing but time to spare. "So a little birdie told me he kissed you when he left the village with his squad."

"Shikamaru always does that Sakura," Ino brushed it off and shrugged her shoulders like it wasn't a big deal at all. Sakura eyed her suspiciously and Ino looked as calm and collected as ever. "Kotetsu and Izumo being the birdie?" Sakura shrugged her shoulders and Ino rolled her eyes. Since Sakura was always helping Lady tsunade, she had created quite the bond with those two chuunin. They were like peas in a pod the three of them, gossiping all the time. Ino had to admit she was jealous that Sakura got to gossip, that was one of Ino's favorite hobbies and she barely had time for it anymore.

"You're in love with him aren't you?" Sakura asked a smile coming onto her face. Ino looked at Sakura for a moment and turned away, a blush coming to her cheeks. The memories of her and Shikamaru kissing and touching flashed in her mind. She could hear his voice telling her that he loved her. "Ino?" Sakura called and the blonde shook her head, snapping out of her revery and looked to the pinkette.

"I could ask you the same thing about Naruto," Ino stated and crossed one leg over the other, leaning back in her chair. Running her fingers through her hair, Sakura looked into Ino's eyes and sighed in defeat.

"Okay, we had a nice dinner, we flirted and talked, held hands, and had some eye contact, that's it," Sakura told Ino, who scoffed.

"Yeah right, like I would believe all that bologna," Ino laughed, waving her hand in the air in a dismissive manner. "You still have stars in your eyes." The blonde smirked and Sakura stifled a laugh, looking down at her hands that were resting in her lap.

"We kissed," Sakura admitted.

"And?" Ino pushed with this huge beaming smile on her face.

"And we..." Sakura paused for a moment and bit her lip, meeting Ino's gaze she continued with, "Naruto and I slept together." Ino screamed in excitement and jumped up from her chair, hugging Sakura. The pinkette was a bit shocked at Ino's outburst, but she started laughing as Ino took hold of her arms and started jumping up and down in excitement. It was big news, her and Naruto were finally breaking down and admitting their feelings for one another.

"Tell me everything, I want all the nitty, gritty details," Ino said after she had calmed down from all her excitement. "What was it like?"

"It was amazing," Sakura answered with this happy and loving glow in her eyes and a smile so wide it was like she slept with a hanger in her mouth. "It was absolutely amazing."

* * *

Shikamaru was wishing he hadn't brought Naruto on this mission, he just had to keep asking about Ino. Unfortunately they were trapped on a boat taking them to the Land of Waves and they still had half a day to go. Rubbing his temples, Shikamaru tried to tune out the loud mouth blond boy beside him and tried to think of anything else. Shikamaru had no idea how Sasuke put up with Naruto 24/7, he had to give the Uchiha props for keeping his cool. If he really wanted to he could blast Naruto to bits, but he never did.

_Maybe I could convince him to do it, _Shikamaru thought as Naruto continued babbling about Ino's presence at the village gates when they were leaving. He mentioned how she looked flustered and had this glow and seemed so awestruck by him. While Shikamaru did like the flattery, he wished Naruto would put a sock in it. His patience was wearing thin and he considered slipping Naruto a drug to knock him out for the next eight hours.

"You never did say what happened between you two? What was it like? I was always rooting for you kids," Naruto boasted and laugh, which caused Shikamaru to huff in frustration. He was just about pushed over the edge to use his Shadow Strangle Jutsu on the future Hokage. "Took you guys long enough to get together." The blond boy chuckled and leaned against the railing of the ship staring down at the waves swirling around the boat.

"When did you start caring so much?" Shikamaru asked, turning around so that his back was pressed up against the railing, with his elbows planted down for extra support. Naruto grinned and shrugged his shoulders, he assumed it was because everything seemed to be going right for him and Sakura. "You're such a busybody, you know that?" the pineapple head asked with a snicker as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his late sensei's lighter, flicking it open and closed.

"For the record, I'd do this for Sakura too," Naruto assured Shikamaru and licked his lips. The hazel eyed boy nodded his head knowingly, but Naruto would do this for anyone. If anyone wore their heart on their sleeve and did everything they could to help people, it was Naruto Uzumaki. He was just an amazing person, who was trustworthy and honest. Shikamaru had met many people in his life time, but none compared to Naruto. "We'll figure all this out, protect Ino and her family." Naruto glanced at Shikamaru, who kept the flame of the lighter burning for a few moments.

When he snapped it shut, he slipped it back into his pocket and looked back at Naruto. "You're frequently annoying, but I appreciate your company...most of the time." Shikamaru smiled at the blond and put his hands behind his head, soaking in the summer sun that was beating down on them and glittering on the ocean waters. Chuckling a bit, Naruto gripped the railing and remained hunched over, looking out at the horizon line.

"Well thanks I guess," Naruto replied and Shikamaru smirked, nodding his head. He looked across the way and saw Sasuke Uchiha coming their way. The blond sensed him and turned around to look at the charcoal eyed boy. "Deciding to be social, you've been quiet for the past three days." Naruto watched Sasuke closely, sometimes Shikamaru thought Tsunade made Sasuke watch Naruto mostly because Naruto was actually the one watching over Sasuke. No one knew Sasuke quite as well as Naruto did.

"I just came to ask what's your plan here, Shikamaru?" Sasuke explained and looked to Shikamaru for guidance. He hadn't explained the approach of the mission, mostly because Shikamaru couldn't devise a plan until they figured out what the Mizukage was willing to share with them. He did have a few plans of action though, but his main plan was getting there and seeing was Kiri was willing to share. If they would share nothing, they would find it by force. "You aren't going in, hoping that Kiri will just give information on one of their strongest clans do you?" Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Shikamaru expectantly.

"The Kuzuryu clan was never apart of Kiri, they were their own faction in the Land of Waves, they had their own laws, rules, and culture. They were enemies to Kirigakure," Shikamaru explained and Sasuke nodded slowly as the leader of the team continued, "I want to see what the Mizukage is willing to share, if they wish to share nothing we'll do so forcefully."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Sasuke inquired, his faith in Shikamaru leading them obviously low. It didn't bother Shikamaru in the least, he didn't care for Sasuke much himself. The only reason he was even on the mission was because Tsunade and Yamato asked Shikamaru to take him and do an evaluation on him. If it were up to Shikamaru he would have much rather brought someone like Kakashi or Sai.

"You and Hinata will not be coming with us into Kirigakure, to the Mizukage's knowledge only Naruto and myself are coming," Shikamaru explained simply and Sasuke stared at him with slight interest. "While Naruto and I are with the Mizukage, you and Hinata will wait until I give further instruction. If the Mizukage is willing to share Kiri's knowledge on the Kuzuryu, this will be a simple intel mission. However, if she refuses to share anything with us, this will be a mission of espionage." The lazy shinobi looked at Sasuke once he was finished speaking and waited to see what the Uchiha would say. He already knew Sasuke figured himself better than everyone around and that was why Tsunade and Yamato instructed Shikamaru to bring him. They wanted to test him and see if he was willing to listen and cooperate with his squad. At the present time, Shikamaru could tell that Sasuke was being a bit of a challenger rather than submissive.

This mission didn't require someone of Sasuke's skills, they were simply gathering information, no violence was needed. As it was most people didn't even like Sasuke due to his past actions. No one was willing to give him a clean slate despite his aid in the war and his attempts to be civil with Konoha. Thankfully the Mizukage was relatively easy to get along with and liked handsome men. She was also a fan of Naruto, so Shikamaru was hoping that would butter her up a bit that he was coming along.

"In the case that the Mizukage refuses to give any formation, you and Hinata will sneak into their archives in the Intelligence Division. You're looking specifically for facts on the Kuzuryu clan, nothing more." Sasuke pursed his lips and nodded before turning away and heading back up to the bow of the ship. Shaking his head, Shikamaru sighed and leaned back against the railing.

"He's really not that bad," Naruto chimed and Shikamaru looked at him with a raised brow. "Everyone hates him, that's not something easy to deal with on a daily basis." The blond shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned on the railing as well. Sighing, Shikamaru nodded his head in understanding, Sasuke had been through a lot in the past four years, however he brought it all on himself.

"We'll be arriving in five hours," Hinata said softly as she walked over to the two boys. They both looked at her and nodded. The Hyuga had grown into a fine kuniochi, she was strong, brave, and smart. After the death of Neji during the war, Hinata focused on becoming stronger and stronger. She had won the approval of many of the Hyuga clan members as one of the best users of the Gentle Fist Style, even her father said she was ready to take over head of the clan. Her long indigo hair swayed in the wind and her pale skin had a bit of a bronze glow from the time standing out under the scorching sun. Walking away, Hinata's pearl like eyes viewed Sasuke Uchiha sitting down at the bow of the boat. She was going to go sit with him, but she decided against it and went back to the helm.

"Do you think Hinata will be able to handle Sasuke, he's a bit intimidating," Naruto pointed out and Shikamaru closed his eyes, facing down at the wooden deck. "Maybe you and Hinata should talk to the Mizukage."

"No, it has to be you," Shikamaru stated firmly, which caused Naruto to furrow his brows in confusion. "I didn't ask to bring Sasuke on this mission, I wanted Sai or Kakashi, but they told me to bring him."

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"His probation period is ending soon, they want an evaluation of his performance," Shikamaru paused and opened his eyes, turning his attention to the blond standing next to him before he continued, "if he can't do this mission properly under mine or Hinata's charge, his mark as a shinobi will be revoked."

Naruto stared at Shikamaru for a moment before his blue eyes ventured to the Uchiha sitting alone in the front of the boat with his sword leaned against his chest and shoulder. No one doubted Sasuke's power or capabilities, they doubted his teamwork and following orders.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Good news everyone, so because I didn't pay any attention in class today, I spent my time plotting out this story for like two hours and I have all the events of this story planned out and I was just so excited that I wrote this whole chapter, because I'm on fire. Honestly I'm so very excited about this story, it's going to be awesome and I really hope that everyone will like the turn out. In this chapter I went ahead and introduced some side plots. Overall this story is mostly about Ino and Shikamaru, but there are little subplots for Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Sakura, so hopefully you guys like them. I don't mean to ramble on, but I'm excited to write this story! So please leave feedback or message me if you'd prefer, but like all the other writers out there getting feedback feels so awesome!

**Huge thanks to:** shikaino, sumtyms, me, Guest, MaronTodai, Rose Duchess, and Kiyomi Inuzuka! And to everyone who favorites, you have my thanks as well!


	11. Psyche

**Psyche**

The next morning, Ino was opening up the flower shop. The morning sun spilled in through the front windows giving the room a empyrean glow. Pushing the windows up, Ino let in the late summer breeze and sighed as it caressed her skin. Smiling, Ino went to the front door and flipped the sign from closed to open. Turning on her heels, Ino went to the counter and started straightening out the paperwork scattered about. Gathering it up into a pile, Ino scooped the documents into her arms and ventured to the back office. Her shoes lightly padded on the ground and she pushed the door of the back office open. She put the papers down on the desk and some of them fell onto the floor. Sighing, Ino knelt down and picked them up, freezing in place when she saw her father's letter. Her blue eyes were locked on the off-white envelope on the floor and time just seemed to stop. Closing her eyes, Ino took in a deep breath and grabbed the envelope off the floor.

Ino stood onto her feet and put the papers on the desk, but held onto the letter. Her name was written across it in her father's writing. Rubbing her finger over the dried ink, Ino shook her head and flipped the envelope over. She hesitated as her fingers went over the sealed flap. Telling herself to just open the letter, Ino ripped the flap up and pulled out the folded up piece of paper inside. Swallowing, Ino put the envelope down and unfolded the piece of paper. Tucking a strand on blonde hair behind her ear, Ino looked at the hand written script on the page and began to read her father's words.

_Dearest Ino,_

_ I hoped that this letter would never find you, but if you are reading this it can only mean one thing. You should know that I am so proud of the shinobi you have become and that I love you, so very much. I watched you grow and become strong, I've watched you prove others and myself wrong. Ino you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. Never forget who you are and what you are capable of._

_ You are to be the head of the clan someday and I know you can do it, because you are strong and will beat whatever comes your way. I will be there beside you every step of the way. First thing is first, don't lose sight of yourself and what you can do. Your skills in our clans techniques are absolute. Ino you need to learn all of the clans techniques and master them and protect the clan. Don't give up on your ninja way and lifestyle, you and I both know that would be a waste of talent._

_ In my office at the Torture and Interrogation unit, I have hidden away three of our clans scrolls. They hold three special techniques that you must learn in order to succeed as a kuniochi of the Yamanaka Clan. You can learn them Ino, I know you can. I believe in you. Stay strong, my precious daughter, trust your friends and believe in yourself. I will always be by your side, so whenever you have the slightest doubt in yourself, don't because I'll be there with you._

_ Take care of your mother and protect the clan, I love you._

_ Inoichi_

Ino's eyes were misty and she smiled when she finished reading the letter. Biting her lip, Ino closed her eyes and let her tears roll down her cheeks. Her father always believed in her, always pushed her, and was always there to catch her when she fell. Without him with her, she had crumbled, but now she knew what she had to do. Folding up the letter, Ino stuffed it into the back pocket of her pants and exited the back office. When she came out she found her mother walking in with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Mom do you think you can handle the store by yourself for today?" Ino questioned, looking to her mother. The woman gave Ino and quizzical look and nodded her head before sipping on her coffee. Thanking her mother, Ino waved and left saying she would be back by dinner. She watched her daughter run down the street and shrugged her shoulders as she went to the work bench to make a few bouquet orders.

* * *

Shikamaru and Naruto could see the Mizukage and her body guards standing at the front gates of the city. Sasuke and Hinata had parted ways with them about two hours ago and hung back, waiting for Shikamaru's further instruction. Sighing, Shikamaru prepared himself for his talk with the Mizukage. The afternoon sun was high in the sky and pouring down on them as they walked down the dirt path. The massive gates of the Mist Village were as impressive as the Leaf's gates, except large stone spouts poured water down on either side into large brick pools. As the water fell it created a faint mist, making the awaiting Kiri shinobi and their Mizukage look a tad blurry.

Atop the two towers that rose on either side of the front gates, Shikamaru could see three sentries in each one, watching them closely. He was sure they weren't worried about him, they were probably more worried about Naruto. Shikamaru couldn't blame them for that either, Naruto was the strongest shinobi in the world and he was still a jinchuriki. His hazel eyes moved back to the Mizukage, her long auburn hair still styled as it had been years ago. He'd talked to the Mizukage a few times since the war due to the chuunin exams, he was an ambassador after all.

A gentle breeze whipped past them causing Naruto and Shikamaru's cloaks to flutter about their bodies. Naruto's blue eyes fell upon the Mizukage and her guards, he beamed and lifted his hand up, waving to them. Mei Terumi, the Mizukage, smiled back at Naruto and waved walking forward a few steps to greet them. Shikamaru was slightly surprised she had come to greet them, but he kept that to himself. They stood a few paces away from the Kirigakure gates and bowed to the woman and the shinobi with her. She laughed lightly and walked over to them, placing her hands on either of their shoulders.

"No need for such formalities," Mei said softly with a charming smile, her sea-green eyes staring at the two of them. Once she was taller than both of them, but now the woman was slightly shorter than them. "You must be tired, come and have something to eat in my chambers." She turned away from them and lifted her hand, waving her fingers towards the village gates. Naruto and Shikamaru glanced at each other and nodded, making their way into the village.

The city was not as gloomy looking as usual. Normally a village shrouded in mist with overcasting skies, it was sunny and the tropical like plants were in full bloom. Shikamaru smirked as he saw all the vinery and flowers, Ino would have been so happy to see all those plants. He thought about her for a moment as they were walking while Naruto was babbling away with Chojuro, the Mizukage's right hand man. She was probably sitting in the flower shop, staring out the window and day dreaming. Her blonde hair was probably up in a bun with a few strands falling around her face.

Shikamaru wondered if she was thinking about him, they'd already been away for four days and soon it was going to be a fifth day. He knew that they mission wouldn't officially begin until tomorrow, the Mizukage would make them rest before they discussed anything about Takahiro Kuzuryu. His eyes ventured to the woman in the blue kimono, leading them through the main streets of the village. It was almost like home, shopkeepers were manning their shops, children were playing in the streets, and shinobi were keeping a close watch on everyone. Every village was probably like this in some aspect, it was just how the world was. The one good thing was that due to the Fourth Shinobi World War, the bonds between the five nations had grown much stronger. There were very few issues between the nations, they had their disagreements, but it was now much easier to compromise.

"The Hokage tells me this mission is personal for you, Shikamaru Nara," the Mizukage addressed, glancing over her shoulder at the young man a few steps behind her. He kept his hands tucked away in his pockets and merely shrugged. "I will aid you in what ways I can, but I can assure you I know very little." Shikamaru looked at the woman, watching her closely as she waved her hand in the air. He didn't like what she was saying, but he hoped she was only teasing. Deep down in his gut though, Shikamaru could tell that she wasn't teasing.

"And what do you mean by that exactly, Lady Mizukage?" Shikamaru inquired with narrowed eyes. There was no telling if she just wanted to withhold information, but he couldn't figure out why she would want to do that. Takahiro Kuzuryu was an enemy to the Land of Waves, she had to be aware of that. The Mizukage stopped walking and in turn so did the rest of the party following along behind her. She turned on her heels and looked at Shikamaru, who searched her expression and body language for answers. The woman smirked, seeing that Shikamaru was not playing any games whatsoever. "You're right, this mission is personal to me, but it should be to you as well."

"Do not doubt me, Shikamaru, I understand completely the dire situation my village is in," Mei retorted icily, her green eyes on him like a hawk. He lifted his gaze slightly and the woman walked closer to him, he could smell her perfume radiating for her fair skin. She brushed her hair back, revealing her other eye and tilted her head slightly. "Takahiro knows he is not strong enough now to take down our village, which is why he is strengthening himself far away from us."

"Do you have a way to stop him?" Shikamaru asked with a raised brow.

"Not a one," the Mizukage replied a smirk coming onto her pink lips. Shaking his head, Shikamaru looked away from the woman and turned his attention to Naruto and the five Kiri shinobi traveling with them. "I believe I know what he plans to do though."

"Which is?" Shikamaru questioned. They were standing right outside of the village headquarters, no villagers were around only other shinobi that were guarding the large tower that Mizukage resided in.

"Resurrected their secret weapon, but how he intends to do so without the key to it all is beyond me," she explained and Shikamaru furrowed his brows. "We'll discuss this later, Chojuro, take them to their rooms. You two must rest, we'll talk in the morning." The woman bowed her head to the two boys and quietly left with the four other shinobi. Chojuro stayed behind, he hadn't changed much at all. He still looked young, carried the same large sword, and wore the same attire he did years ago.

"I understand coming all this way to hear that from the Mizukage is disgruntling, but the Kuzuryu incident was forty years ago," Chojuro explained simply and Shikamaru snorted. To him it didn't matter if it had been thirty, forty, eighty, or a hundred years, it was unlikely that a village would forget the power of it's enemies. "With the Kaguya clan incident, closely followed by the Kuzuryu clan incident, and the matter of the Fourth Mizukage, such knowledge has been lost from us."

"I understand your village has faced many civil wars, but I refuse to believe your Mizukage has no information on a clan that nearly wiped you all from the face of the earth." Shikamaru stared at Chojuro who took in a breath and nodded stiffly. He gestured for them to follow him to the tower besides the Mizukage's headquarters where they would be staying for the night.

"Little harsh there, don't you think?" Naruto whispered to Shikamaru as they followed behind Chojuro.

"We're on a time crunch, we don't have time to play games. We need to know what he's doing and what he's capable of before he attacks our village and regains his power, the Mizukage should be aware of this," Shikamaru explained to Naruto, who looked at him and nodded once in understanding. He didn't want to have to use Sasuke and Hinata to search for answers, but he wouldn't leave without getting something.

* * *

Ino stared at the door of her dad's office, she was almost dreading going inside. It had remained untouched since the war had ended, Ibiki had told her upon their return after the war that his office would be hers. He swore to not touch it and he had kept that promise, Ino knew that Ibiki and her father were good friends, they did many interrogations together after all. Running her fingers through her fringe that fell in her face, Ino tucked the strand behind her ear and reached for the metal knob. Twisting the knob, Ino took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

The room was dusty and smelled of moldy papers. There was a single window behind the wooden desk that was covered up by sheer curtains. Ino looked around as she stood in the threshold and could tell no one had been into this office for a very long time. She sighed softly and stepped into the room, the wooden floor creaked loudly from her weight. She took another step forward and looked back seeing her footprints on the dusty floor boards. Biting her lip, Ino walked up to the desk that was rather neat and organized with the supplies half empty. She smiled as she ran her hand over the top of a picture frame. Grabbing it, she slowly turned it around and stifled a laugh. The image was of her when she was six years old and getting ready to enter the ninja academy. Licking her lips, Ino put the picture down and walked around his desk.

She pushed his chair back and sat in it, the dust flying up into the air. Waving it away, Ino scooted towards the desk and ran her hands over the smooth mahogany wood. The sunlight shined in through the window, giving the room an opaque look through all the swirling dust clouds. She began pulling the drawers of his desk open, searching for the scrolls. No hidden compartments, no seals, no nothing it was just filled with files of past criminals he'd dealt with and reports of missions. Turning the chair around, Ino started digging through the filing cabinets and came to find more papers that were crinkled and faded. All four drawers lead her to nothing at all.

"Where would you hide them," Ino muttered to herself as she walked over to a bookshelf. Tapping her chin, Ino knew her dad wouldn't hid them in a safe or anything of the sorts, he liked to keep everything simple. She moved the books around, but didn't seem to find anything out of the ordinary. There was another picture on the bookshelf, but this one was of Ino and her mom in the green house watering the flowers together. Smiling, Ino ran her hand over the glass, remembering those days when she was a little girl. Her dad spoiled her rotten, which is probably why she was so feisty and whiny sometimes.

Ino sat on the edge of the desk and tried to think. She cleared her mind, remembering the fun things she and her dad used to do when she was just a child. When she had become a genin he trained her in their family jutsus, teaching her to strength her mind and build impressive chambers within her mind. Because the Yamanaka clan were always used for gathering information and infiltration missions, they had to be tough if they were to be caught, they couldn't let anyone simply wander there minds. Ino looked around the room with pursed lips and started digging through the drawers again.

She found a small box at the bottom of the drawer and tilted her head. Pulling it up, Ino blew the dust off and put the box on his desk. She lifted the lid up and stared down at the contents inside. Stifling a laugh, Ino grabbed the chocolate bar inside and shook her head. Ino's mother was surprisingly strict when it came to diets and she cracked down on Inoichi about his sweet tooth all the time. Putting the chocolate bar back in the box Ino remembered how her mother would scour the entire house to find her dad's sweet stashes. Sometimes she assumed that her dad was really the porky one out of the first Ino-Shika-Cho formation.

"That's it!" Ino gasped and walked over to the book shelf. When she was ten years old, Ino remembered seeing her mom cleaning up the bookshelf in their home. A couple of books had fallen down and when they opened up some candy and sweets fell out of them. Her dad had hollowed out the books and stuffed several pieces of candy inside of them. Opening up the different books on his shelf, Ino beamed when she found a hollowed out book with a scroll tucked inside. "Oh dad, your hiding places never change, which is why mom always found your sweets." Ino chuckled a bit and continued opening the books until she found the next two scrolls.

"Find what you were looking for?" a husky voice came from behind. Ino furrowed her brows and spun around, seeing her cousin Heisuke Yamanaka standing in the door way. He was Chizuru's older brother and a part of the Intelligence Division, but he also worked along side Ibiki from time to time. He had tried to talk Ino into joining the T&I unit for sometime, probably at the behest of Ibiki. She knew they were under staffed, but she didn't want to work there. "Uncle Inoichi's hiding places were always silly."

Ino chuckled a bit and agreed with him before asked, "why are you here, Heisuke?" They got along fairly well being family and all, but Ino was a bit intimated by him. He appeared to be friendly and soft spoken, but in actuality Heisuke was apart of the T&I unit for a reason, he was completely ruthless. She even remembered her father saying that Heisuke could very well ran the Yamanaka clan should Ino refuse to take the title and should he pass on.

"I had run into your mother on my way to the Intelligence Division, she mentioned you had taken off in a hurry," Heisuke explained with a shrug as he leaned on the doorjamb with his arms crossed over his chest. His hair was long, similar to her own father's expect his was black. He wore the standard jounin shinobi gear of the Leaf Village and had his headband tied around his neck like a collar. "I figured you'd come here for the scrolls."

"You knew they were here?" Ino inquired slightly surprised.

"Yes, your father told me before the war began," Heisuke replied and pushed off the doorjamb, standing with a slight slouch. His body was lanky, but lean with muscles and Ino recalled he was incredibly fast and crafty. "I take it you are going to try and learn the three strongest jutsus in our clan."

"That's the idea," Ino stated with a smile and Heisuke chuckled. "You know them yourself right?" He nodded his head and Ino continued, "I want you to teach me."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Thanks for the feedback on the previous chapter. Seriously I get so excited and happy when I see I have comments. Anyways, this chapter might have been a little bland, which I apologize for, but it was needed. Please share your thoughts and I'll see you all in the next chapter!

**Huge thanks to:** shikaino, 25BAM50, sumtyms, Kiyomi Inuzuka, and Guest for the comments on chapter 10! You all rock!


	12. Storm

**Storm**

Shikamaru awoke to the sound of rain pattering on the rooftop. He groaned as he slowly sat up and stretched his arms up above his head. Rubbing his eyes, Shikamaru looked over to the window across the room and saw it was gray and dull outside with a light rain shower pouring over the Land Hidden in the Waves. Sighing, Shikamaru laid back down in his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He was still a bit distraught about what the Mizukage had said upon their arrival yesterday afternoon. It was hard to believe that in the entire village no one had any information on the Kuzuryu clan, a clan that was a threat to their own village. Sure the Kuzuryu's village was small and didn't seem like much, but they were recognized as masters of genjutsu as well as fuinjutsu and juinjutsu. They couldn't simply be taken lightly, they were a threat and even though they were gone, someone somewhere had to know something.

The amount of history that could be destroyed if nothing at all was written down or saved, Shikamaru couldn't even begin to imagine how scary that was. An entire culture just wiped off the face of the earth like they didn't even exist just because they were powerful. He rested his hands behind his head and heard Naruto snoring away on the bed next to his and rolled his eyes. Shikamaru couldn't leave without some sort of lead otherwise coming here was a total waste of time. Sitting up, Shikamaru looked back out at the window and heard the rumbling of thunder. Pulling the blanket from his body, he climbed off the bed and walked to the window, pushing the white curtains back.

The entire village was shrouded in mist, then again it was called the Mist Village. He wasn't sure what time it was exactly, but he was certain it was still fairly early. Walking back to his bed, Shikamaru grabbed his pack off the floor and pulled it open. He reached in for a scroll that he was using to store all the information he had gathered on the Kuzuryu clan. While his findings were less than extraordinary, it was something to go off of. As Shikamaru was reading his notes a loud crack of lightning sounded over head and Naruto jumped up from the sound. Lifting his gaze at Naruto, who was clinging tightly to his pillow and looking around with wide eyes, Shikamaru stifled a laugh and shook his head. Thunder shook the house again and both boys looked up at the ceiling, a storm like this couldn't mean anything good was happening.

The blond rolled off the bed and walked over to the window. He looked up at the sky and saw the gray underbellies of the clouds flashed white and a loud pop of lightning filled the air. Biting his lip, Naruto wondered if Hinata and Sasuke were alright out in the wilderness with such a heavy storm. He was about to say something when the window rattled from the strong winds blowing around outside. Shikamaru stopped reading his scroll and joined Naruto over by the window. The entire village outside looked completely desolate and abandoned as the storm started to pick up.

"Do you think Sasuke and Hinata are alright?" Naruto asked with worry. Shikamaru remained silent, he wasn't sure. He hadn't anticipated a storm like this to strike, he knew it was monsoon season, but he didn't expect the storms to be this bad. "Maybe we should call them here before it gets worst." Thunder crashed and Naruto flinched a bit at the loudness, he had never experienced such a storm before. He wouldn't deny he was a bit scared of it all, he knew nature was incredibly unpredictable and the last thing he wanted was for Sasuke and Hinata to drown or get blown away in the harsh winds and heavy rain fall.

If it kept up like this, it would certainly flood the entire village. The few trees that were scattered about the misty city were waving in the wind and it looked as though they would be blown over. Shikamaru leaned forward on the windowsill and shook his head, this storm would definitely be delaying the mission. He didn't like that, he wanted to be back in the Leaf as soon as possible. He knew that the Hokage promised that Ino and the rest of her clan would be under watch and restricted from missions, but Shikamaru still didn't feel comfortable about it. In his mind Ino wasn't safe unless he was there with her, where he could be by her side at a moments notice.

The window rattled again and Shikamaru stepped back from it afraid that it would burst open at any moment. Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall, watching the rain pour down heavily. It was so thick and fast that they could barely see anything outside and with the wind it was even worse. Shikamaru knew that Sasuke and Hinata were on land, so that already made him feel a little bit better. He could only imagine what it was like out on the water, the waves were probably reaching impressive heights.

"Sasuke and Hinata are both smart, they'll find a place to stay safe and hidden," Shikamaru assured Naruto, while he didn't particularly like Sasuke, Shikamaru couldn't deny his intelligence and craftiness. Hinata was no pushover now either, she had become quite the kuniochi and had even become ANBU. Of course, he wouldn't let anyone on the mission know that since her identity was supposed to be a secret. It was because Hinata was ANBU that Shikamaru trusted her to be able to handle Sasuke, plus she knew a few seals that would stabilize him if he got a little too out of control.

"I know, but this is still dangerous," Naruto muttered and Shikamaru agreed with a single nod. "I've never seen a storm like this, it looks like a war-zone out there." The blond ran his fingers through his hair and sighed before walking back to his bed.

"They'll be fine, let's just worry about our part of the mission," Shikamaru said, looking over at Naruto. The blue-eyed boy nodded his head in agreement and was about to say something when a knock came to the door. Moving away from the window, Shikamaru went over to the door and cautiously pulled it open. "Chojuro." The lazy genius stepped aside and let the blue haired boy with the pointy, shark like teeth in the room.

"Looks you guys came at a bad time," Chojuro said with a light laugh as he took off his cloak that was drenched. He hung it up on the coat rack and ruffled up his short hair that was a little on the damp side. "Hopefully it'll slow down, but Lady Mizukage sent me to bring you both to the Intelligence Division Archives."

"In this weather?" Naruto asked as lightning and thunder sounded just outside the window. The wind ravaged through the trees and Naruto swore he could feel the building moving.

"We'll be fine, the Archives are right across the street," Chojuro replied and waved the matter off. "It's just a little wind and water."

"You're kidding right, that's a damn tsunami is what that is," Naruto snorted as he pulled on his coat. Shikamaru looked at the blond and snickered as he grabbed his green vest and slipped it onto his body.

"I suppose I'm just used to it," Chojuro tried with a mere shrug. "You'll be safe with me, now let's hurry Lady Mizukage is expecting us."

"We'll be ready in a minute," Shikamaru said, going back over to his bed. Nodding his head, Chojuro went back to the door and grabbed his cloak. He slipped it on over his body and lifted the hood, which shadowed his face from them. As he stepped outside, Shikamaru noticed he grabbed his rather large sword and slung it onto his back. "Let's get this done fast."

"Yeah," Naruto replied with a nod.

* * *

Sasuke kept his head down as he and Hinata walked through the forest. The storm was raging and he was soaking wet. He looked up at the sky as he got to the edge of the small forest and saw bolts of lightning. Shaking his head, Sasuke cursed he didn't plan on having to sit out a storm. He looked over his shoulder and saw Hinata was huddling behind a tree to avoid the large raindrops that felt like like stones being thrown at them. Sinking back, he went to her side and she looked at him, her face was soaked from the rain and she seemed a bit paler. It was obvious that she was cold they had only been walking through the rainstorm for the past hour and it hadn't let up at all. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Sasuke suggested that they find a cave or something to wait out the storm.

Hinata agreed and quickly activated her Byakugan to see if she could find such a place. As she searched the forest around them, she found a cave in a cliff side not too far from where they were currently standing. She pointed out it was a straight shot there and Sasuke nodded his head, waving his hand for her to follow him. Before he started walking, Sasuke looked back at the girl and told her to stay close. Hinata looked at him slightly surprised that he was even showing any sort of care towards her. She personally had nothing against Sasuke, in fact, she thought he was handsome and rather talented as a shinobi. The only thing she disliked was his pride and cold heart, but at the moment he didn't seem that cold hearted.

As they continued to trudged through the storm, Sasuke kept an eye on Hinata. He had a feeling that this mission was a test. While he didn't let on that he knew that Tsunade and Yamato were testing him on his loyalty and willingness to obey, Sasuke was becoming quite tired of it. For the past four years he had done everything they had asked and then some, he was a bit annoyed that they didn't have at least a little faith in him. Naruto had even told them that he was a changed person and was worthy of being a shinobi for the Leaf. Sasuke knew that Tsunade faced a lot of scrutiny from other Kage as well as the council, but in his defense his vendetta against the Leaf was fair. The council had destroyed his family and cost his brother everything, Sasuke felt he was within his rights. Maybe he went about it in a brutal manner, but he had every right to act out about it.

There was a loud crack and Sasuke looked up when a bolt of lightning struck a tree. It burst into flame and started to fall over. Whirling around as fast as he could, Sasuke leaped towards Hinata and scooped her into his arms before the tree could crush her. He stopped and held her close before looking back to the fallen tree. It was still on fire and was smoking on the ground as the rain continued to pelt them. If he had waited a second longer, Hinata would have been crushed. Sighing in relief, Sasuke shook his head and looked down at the girl in his arms. He could feel her shivering and knew they had to hurry.

"Thank you," Hinata said softly and Sasuke looked into her pearl like eyes. He nodded his head and slowly let her down onto the ground.

"For someone in ANBU, you sure are careless," Sasuke stated simply before he started walking in the direction of the cave. Hinata's eyes widened in surprise, she had no idea that he knew about that. In a way though it made sense that he did, he was always in the Hokage's Tower, he probably knew who half the ANBU staff members were. "Come on, let's get out of this storm. Quit standing around." He was looking at her with those dark eyes that sometimes seemed complete devoid of sentiment, but he had just saved her. Deep down inside there was some good in him, somewhere underneath a bunch of crap Sasuke still gave a shit about people.

"Right," Hinata responded softly and nodded as she followed Sasuke onward. The wind whipped past them and the trees creaked as they were nearly being tipped over. Hinata would never be able to live in a place like this. This storm was awful and it was cold. She and Sasuke just kept their heads low and continued moving in a fast, but cautious pace. The last thing they needed was to slip and fall, of course Hinata was a medic ninja, so she could handle a sprain fairly easily.

Sasuke heard the sound of rushing water and cursed when they got to the edge of a raging river. It was obviously flooding due to the heavy rain and winds and it would not be easy to cross at all. Hinata came up beside him and looked a bit worried, crossing this river would be dangerous even with using chakra on their feet. Biting her lip, Hinata activated her Byakugan and pointed straight ahead, saying the cave was just beyond the tree line. Nodding his head, Sasuke crouched down and watched the water as it engulfed large pointy rocks that jutted out from it. If they were careful and fast, crossing the river wouldn't be a big deal. Granted it wasn't a small river, it was quite a stretch. Sasuke stood up and began focusing on the chakra points at the bottom of his feet.

"One step at a time," Sasuke said to Hinata and she looked at him, nodding her head in understanding as Sasuke made his way across. He'd be lying if he said it was easy, the unsteady surface was hard to keep balance on. The powerful winds and blinding rain weren't helping very much either. Letting out a breath, Sasuke just imagined getting to the other side before being swept away. "Come on, Hinata." He looked over his shoulder at her and she nodded, carefully stepping onto the uneven waters.

Lightning struck and Hinata yelped when a tree caught fire. Her eyes stared up at the tree as it's branches slowly burned away. Thunder rolled over head and she had had enough of the bad weather and darted across the river. Sasuke called out to her to slow down, but she was already on the other side. Cursing under his breath, Sasuke ran across as well, stumbling a bit over the water, but he managed. When he got to the other side, he looked back at the river and shook his head. The moment this mission was over, Sasuke was going to kill Shikamaru. Darting away to find Hinata, Sasuke saw her up ahead at the mouth of the cave. She was leaning against the wall and had a hand on her chest, panting heavily.

Sasuke was having a hard time believing she was really an ANBU member, she was terrified right now. The ground shook and Sasuke looked up quickly and saw bolts of lightning lighting up the dark sky. Wind whipped harder almost as if it was trying to blow him away. Bracing himself, Sasuke felt the branches slapping him as he moved through the brush. He finally made it to the cave entrance and pulled the hood of his cloak down and shook his head, getting the water out of his hair. Wiping his face, Sasuke peeled off his soaking wet cloak and tossed it onto a large boulder. His dark eyes went to Hinata next as she wrung her hair free of water.

She looked at him and stood up, taking off her cloak. As she pulled it off, Sasuke could see the rest of her clothes were soaked. The fabric clung to her body and he watched as she moved, every curve and bend. Shaking it off, Sasuke turned away from her and leaned up against the cave wall. He tried to keep himself distracted by watching the storm outside, but he kept wanting to look back at her. She was very interesting to him, she wasn't the shy girl from his class years ago, but she wasn't exactly tough either. He had seen her training with Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame back in the village from time to time, so he knew she could hold her own, but she didn't look like ANBU material to him. She was far to gentle and caring to be kind and ruthless.

"You knew I was ANBU?" Hinata asked, walking to the wall opposite of him. Sasuke looked up at her and nodded his head slowly. "How?" she inquired, her tattoo was hidden away and she didn't even have her short swords with her.

"Just a hunch," Sasuke replied simply with a halfhearted shrug. Hinata stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly and looking out at the pouring rain. "I am also aware that this is my evaluation. As if four years of following every damn rule hasn't been enough."

"Can you really blame them?" Hinata asked and Sasuke looked at her slightly surprised. "You wanted to destroy the Leaf Village. One good deed doesn't mean a person is trustworthy, nor does it erase a lifetime of evil."

"But it's enough to condemn the person?" Sasuke inquired and Hinata stared in his eyes unmoved by his cold stare. "What about the other side, they were just as bad."

"I never said they were," Hinata stated firmly and Sasuke snickered, looking away from her. "I don't think your evil."

"Why is that?" he asked with a curious expression on his face. Hinata and Sasuke's eyes locked for a moment as if she was searching for something.

"Because anyone capable of love and being loved, can't be evil." She smiled at him and Sasuke tilted his head slightly. He was confused by this girl, she had him thinking about things he never thought he'd think of. "You may be rough around the edges, but you aren't evil."

"You are a very strange person," Sasuke muttered and Hinata chuckled softly.

* * *

The Mizukage had shown Shikamaru five scrolls that contain various information on the Kuzuryu clan, two of the scrolls were genjutsus they used, one of them contained family lineage's, and two others contained the village's infrastructure as well as information on the dragon temple that once resided there before everything got destroyed. She assured him everything they had and knew about the Kuzuryu clan that was written was in those scrolls. For Shikamaru that was enough to give him some leads, but it still wasn't enough to answer his questions. He wasn't sure why Takahiro was collecting souls, nor was he sure why he needed Chizuru.

While he was busy reading through the scrolls for answers, he had Naruto ask the Mizukage about Takahiro Kuzuryu. They were walking around the archives while she explained what little knowledge she had about the man. Shikamaru looked up and saw Naruto coming down the stairwell to the lower region of the library. The Mist Village's archives were much more organized than Konoha's. They had theirs cross referenced and even color coordinated, which made searching for information much faster. When Naruto got to the table, he pulled out the chair and took a seat across from Shikamaru. He'd been digging through the scrolls for about three hours now.

"Find anything?" Shikamaru asked and Naruto shook his head.

"She doesn't know much about Takahiro, she knows his name and that he is part of the main branch of the Kuzuryu clan," Naruto paused and rubbed the back of his neck, slouching in his seat. "I asked what she thought about the whole Chizuru incident and all she could say was that it sounded like Takahiro was trying some old ritual of theirs."

"A ritual?" Shikamaru repeated with a raised brow and Naruto nodded his head. "Did she say anything about the ritual?"

"Not much," Naruto replied, sounding a bit disappointed. Shikamaru sighed dejectedly and crossed his arms over his chest when he leaned back in his seat. "I don't think we're going to get much more than what she'd given us. You think they're hiding something?" Naruto asked and Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders, it was hard to say.

"I think we need to find a more sufficient source of information," Shikamaru replied, rubbing his temples.

"And where would that be?" Naruto asked.

"Where else? The Kuzuryu clan ruins," Shikamaru stated and Naruto looked at him for a few moments before nodding in agreement. "We won't find anything by reading old scrolls."

Naruto was about to say something, but he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Shikamaru looked at the person coming and Naruto turned in his chair. The Mizukage came walking down her steps echoing in the circular room. Her long hair was sweeping behind her and she stopped when she reached the bottom. She wasn't alone though Chojuro was by her side along with two other high ranking shinobi. Standing from their seats, Naruto and Shikamaru approached her.

"Did you find anything worthwhile?" Mei asked with a tilt of her head, though she already knew it wasn't much. While she gave them everything they held in the village, she was certain that what they had was nothing to brag about. Shikamaru needed more than just a few scrolls about the clan, he needed to know what Takahiro was planning. After she had spoken to Naruto and found out what had happened to Chizuru Yamanaka, she assumed Takahiro was attempting a particular ritual the Kuzuryu clan did for their dragons.

"Not exactly," Shikamaru replied with a shrug, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his pants. "You already knew that though."

"Possibly," Mei said with a shrug and Shikamaru shook his head. "Everything that clan had was destroyed because they were a danger, not just to the Land of Waves but to themselves."

"Naruto said you spoke of a ritual they used to do, what's this ritual all about?" Shikamaru inquired with a raised brow.

"It was a ritual for their dragons, I don't know all the details, but I know that much," Mei answered him honestly. "Look, I understand this is personal for you, but I am telling you everything. If you want more answers, I suggest you visit the ruins."

"Lady Mizukage-"

"Chojuro, you will escort them there once this storm has cleared," Mei interrupted her blue-haired guard. He sighed softly and nodded his head, looking to Shikamaru and Naruto. "This storm probably won't die down until tomorrow, so you'll have to wait until then." Turning on her heels, the Mizukage waved to the two Konoha shinobi and went back up the stairs with her three guards trailing two steps behind her.

Once they reached the top of the stairs and they could no longer hear their footsteps Naruto turned to Shikamaru and asked, "do you think we'll find anything at the ruins? Granny said it was just a barren wasteland."

"If the Mizukage is right and Takahiro is performing some sort of ritual, we'll need to know what it is. I'll die before I let anything happen to Ino or the rest of her clan," Shikamaru vowed and Naruto looked at the lazy shinobi, chuckling a bit.

"Ah to be young and in love," Naruto gushed.

"So you and Sakura are like old then?" Shikamaru snapped back causing the blond to snort and grumbled a few profanities under his breath.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hello! Sorry for the wait everyone, I'm totally swamped right now. I have this eye issue going on and with all the doctor visits I haven't had time to sit and write. I'm trying though! Anyways, more updated coming soon for this story amongst my other ones as well if you read any of those. Speaking of stories, I have a new one **If You Told Me To**, give it a look if you want more of mine to read. Also yes, Sasuke and Hinata, they are so happening in this story, any fans of them? I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'll have Shikamaru and Ino back together in a few chapters. Leave your thoughts!

**Huge thanks to:** Kiyomi Inuzuka, 25BAM50, guest, sumtyms, me, Shikaino, Rose Duchess, and finalfantasydreams!


	13. Ruins

**Ruins**

Kakashi and Yamato were both summoned to the Hokage's office at dawn. They had both just arrived and found Tsunade standing by the windows of her office, staring at the panoramic view of the Hidden Leaf Village. Her amber eyes watched the morning sun rays pouring through the winding streets of the village. A village she had sworn to protect and she was also supposed to protect the ninja that served her. Licking her lips, Tsunade turned around and looked to Kakashi and Yamato as they stood straight and quiet, waiting for the Hokage to speak. Pulling her chair out from under her desk, Tsunade took a seat and laced her fingers together, leaning forward slightly.

"It seems Takahiro Kuzuryu has attacked a small fishing village the other night," Tsunade explained and both Kakashi and Yamato were surprised to hear such information. Ever since the incident with the ANBU and Chizuru, no one had seen or heard about Takahiro in the past week and a half. Granted that wasn't a significant amount of time, but still how he disappeared without a trace was odd. "I want you two to investigate the situation." Tsunade eyed the two jounin in her office and they nodded to her.

"Did he use the soul collector jutsu?" Yamato asked the busty blonde woman and she nodded once, looking a bit worried. "How many people were in the village?" the brunette man asked.

"Roughly eighty people," Tsunade replied softly. The two jounin were surprised by the number, but then again she did say it was a small village. "I want to know what he's planning, if you find anything notify me immediately."

"Yes ma'am," Kakashi and Yamato responded in unison and vanished into a puff of smoke. Just as they left, Shizune entered the office with a dark haired man right behind her.

"Lady Tsunade, I've brought Heisuke as you have requested," Shizune said as the man entered the room and bowed to Tsunade. The blonde woman smiled weakly and nodded as Heisuke straightened out, placing his hands behind his back. Heisuke looked very similar to Inoichi aside from his black hair.

"Heisuke, I know Inoichi trained you in your clan's most powerful techniques," Tsunade began and Heisuke nodded in response, "I want you to train, Ino, as head of the clan she needs to know how to use these jutsus."

"We're beginning her training today actually, Lady Tsunade," Heisuke replied and the blonde woman smiled, pleased to hear they were already taking charge of that. After Chizuru's death the Yamanaka clan was falling apart, aside from Heisuke, no one knew the clan's special jutsus. "Have you found anything out about why Chizuru-"

"I wish I could tell you," Tsunade interrupted. Looking a bit disappointed, Heisuke nodded his head in understanding and cleared his throat. "As soon as we figure something out, I promise I will inform you." Chizuru's older brother smiled weakly and thanked the woman for her words. Tsunade smiled back and assured him that she was doing everything she could to figure something out.

"Do you really believe he is targeting the Yamanaka clan?" Heisuke asked with a hint of concern.

"I can't say for sure, but I don't think so," Tsunade answered honestly and Heisuke seemed to be put at a little more ease at the woman's words. She licked her lips and looked to Shizune, who was standing beside her. "Just as well though, be on alert."

"Yes ma'am," Heisuke replied, bowing to her.

"You're dismissed." Tsunade waved him away and the dark haired shinobi made a hand sign, vanishing into a puff of smoke. Once the smoke dissipated, Tsunade sighed softly and looked to Shizune. "Any word from Shikamaru?"

"No, nothing," Shizune answered sadly, shaking her head. Nodding in understanding, Tsunade looked down at the file on her desk. It was the report on Chizuru's autopsy. Everything was intact with her with the exception of her eyes missing. Takahiro had drained her of all her blood, which was the cause of her death.

"Hopefully he'll find something soon," Tsunade muttered and Shizune nodded in agreement.

* * *

Ino's alarm began blaring the moment the hands of the clock read eight o'clock. She moaned not wanting to get up, she felt like she'd only had a small power nap rather than a full nights rest. Rubbing her eyes, Ino sat up slowly and turned off her alarm. Pulling the blankets from her body, Ino swung her legs off the bed and felt her feet touch the wooden floor. As she stood up, Ino made her way to her bathroom just across the hallway. Ino decided a quick warm shower would probably wake her up. Thankfully her mother had given her the day off so she could train with Heisuke for the day. She explained to her mother she wanted to learn her father's jutsu and make him proud.

Turning the shower on, Ino let the water warm up and peeled off her pajamas. She looked at herself in the mirror and ran her fingers through her hair. Sighing softly she pulled the curtain back and slipped into the shower, letting the water pour over her shoulders and soak into her golden locks. The water made her feel so good, because for the past two days she had felt a bit achy. She wasn't sure what had brought it on, but she just took a few pain killers and pushed through it.

After standing under the running water for about ten minutes, Ino decided to get out and dry off. Wrapping the towel around her body, Ino walked back to her bedroom to get her clothes. She stood in front of her closet and grabbed her favorite pair of black yoga pants and a plain lavender colored tank top. Throwing the closet onto her bed, Ino grabbed her hair brush off of her dresser and started brushing her hair. Gathering it up into a top bun on top of her head, Ino secured it into place and let her towel drop to the floor.

A knock came to the front door and Ino shouted she would be right there. Pulling on her clothes, Ino sped towards the door and pulling it open. When it came open, Ino smiled warmly at her cousin, Heisuke. He greeted her with a nod and asked if she was ready to head to the training grounds.

"Let me grab something to eat and we can go," Ino explained, holding up a finger as she jogged over to the fruit bowl on the counter. Grabbing an orange, Ino started peeling off the skin and walked over to Heisuke. "Alright, let's go." She smiled at him and they started walking down the front porch steps.

"Did you read over the scrolls?" Heisuke asked as they crossed the yard. When they got to the flower shop, Ino opened the door and noticed a very strong scent of eggs. It made her stomach churn and she quickly covered her nose. "Ino? You alright?" Heisuke questioned with a raised brow.

"Yeah, the smell of the eggs are making me feel a bit nauseated." Ino shook her head and saw her mother come out of the back office holding a egg, sausage, and cheese biscuit in her hands. The scent suddenly became stronger and Ino started to gag. Heisuke furrowed his brows in worry and placed a hand on Ino's upper back, patting in gently.

"Ino? You okay, darling?" Ms. Yamanaka questioned in concern, raising a brow. She put her breakfast biscuit down and walked over to her daughter. The smell was too much, causing Ino to push the two away and run over to the sink by the work bench. The young blonde began to vomit up the couple of pieces of the orange she had just been eating. "What's wrong, are you sick?" Ms. Yamanaka asked, coming up beside Ino, rubbing her back as she was haunched over the sink.

"Maybe we should wait until tomorrow to train, Ino," Heisuke offered, but the blonde refused him.

"No, really I'm fine," Ino assured him after a few moments. She stopped heaving and let out a breath. "The eggs, the smell is just making me sick right now." Heisuke was a bit skeptical at first, but he agreed and said he would wait outside. Once he was gone, Ino let out a breath to try and ease her upset stomach.

"Ino if you feel sick, you really should stay in today," Ms. Yamanaka told her as she rubbed her daughter's back. The young woman smiled at her mother and shook her head, assuring her she would be fine once she got away from the smell of eggs. "Okay, but if you feel even the slightest bit faint-"

"Don't worry, I'll come home if that happens," Ino assured her mom with a smile and made her way to the front door. She turned back and waved goodbye before going out to meet Heisuke. "Let's get a move on."

"You're sure your okay?" Heisuke asked before they started walking. Ino huffed and placed her hands on her hips, causing Heisuke to smirk. "Alright, come on."

"Ino!" someone called just before they were about to start walking. Heisuke and Ino both turned around to see an auburn haired burly man coming their way. A smile came onto Ino's face and she greeted Chouji as he walked up, holding a bag of chips. "How have you been?" he asked and Ino gave him a quick, warm hug.

"I'm alright," Ino replied with a nod as they pulled away from each other.

"Sorry I haven't been by, I was helping at the academy," Chouji explained to her. "Where are you off too? Oh, hey there, Heisuke." The auburn boy nodded to Heisuke, who waved to Chouji.

"Off to do some training," Ino explained to him and he nodded, happy to hear that Ino was getting back to her old self. For the past few months she just been working at the hospital and flower shop, it was very rare for her to do any training.

"Oh well, you two better get going, good luck, Ino," Chouji smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder before he began walking again. Heisuke looked at Ino who waved and said her goodbyes to Chouji and noticed that they were very good friends. He already assumed that since even when they were kids they hung out all the time especially with that lazy Nara kid.

"Hey Chouji," Heisuke called out at the chubby boy stopped and turned around to look at the dark haired mind walker. "I'm actually going to need some help, can you join us?" Ino gave her cousin a skeptical look and Chouji shrugged his shoulders, saying he'd be more than happy to help Ino.

* * *

Shikamaru and Naruto stood near the mast of the ship that was taking them to the Kuzuryu ruins. It was about a three hour trek there, but it was worth it. Shikamaru had this gut feeling they'd find out more information if they went there. The Mizukage had even told them that they would find more information there than in any scrolls. Walking up to the bow of the ship, Shikamaru stared at the endless blue surrounding them. He could hear Naruto and Chojuro talking about the ruins behind them. Apparently no one ever traveled there any longer, after the village had been destroyed no one ever went back to rebuild it not even the eight survivors from the attack. Sighing softly, Shikamaru looked up at the sky and admired the color, which was very similar to Ino's eyes. He missed her, he wanted to go home and hold her. More importantly he wanted to be sure that she was safe.

Before he left, Chouji swore he'd look after her and while Shikamaru trusted Chouji, no one really knew who they were up against. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Shikamaru tried to get his mind off of Ino. She was becoming a common distraction for him and he couldn't believe it. Growing up, Ino had always been the pretty, smart, and popular kuniochi. Everyone admired her and all the teachers praised her for her fine work, he never imagined that after all these years they would still be friends. It was all thanks to being on the same team, if that hadn't happened Shikamaru was fairly certain Ino wouldn't be with him.

Leaning against the wooden railing of the ship, Shikamaru closed his eyes and let the spray of the sea moisten his face. He began to think about the first time Shikamaru ever felt that he had feelings for Ino. Although he would never admit it out loud to anyone, not even Chouji or Asuma if he was still alive, it was back when they were fifteen years old and they were training together while Asuma and Chouji had been out on a mission.

_Shikamaru panted heavily as he hid behind a tree, Ino had gotten a lot stronger in taijutsu. Normally he could easily block and dodge her, but this time around she came at him with a vengeance. She was fast and observant, she never gave him a chance to use his shadow techniques. He wouldn't lose to her though, he would come up with a plan. Ino was just being unpredictable, they hadn't trained together in three months and it was impressive how much better she'd gotten in that time. Lately, Ino had been training with her father to learn knew techniques._

_ In their little training regiment, Ino had nearly captured him in her mind destruction jutsu. Letting out a breath, Shikamaru could feel the sweat slid down the side of his face. Reaching into his pouch, Shikamaru grabbed some shruiken and swallowed hard. He had to keep her moving otherwise she would get him with her jutsu and it would be game over. Licking his lips, Shikamaru came from behind the tree and threw his shruiken. Ino deflected them and tossed a kunai his way. He jumped back when he noticed she attached a paper bomb to it._

_ "You've gotten good," Shikamaru complimented her as he appeared to her left and stretched out his shadow. Ino gasped and back flipped away from him, unleashing a wave of kunai. Ducking out of the way, Shikamaru panted and stood up straight. "Let's see how you handle this." Shikamaru pulled out two kunai and threw them towards her, but they missed._

_ Ino noticed they flew back towards her shadow. Her blue eyes widened and she tried to move, but she was pinned in place. Cursing under her breath, the blonde looked back at Shikamaru with a dark glare as he stood across the way. He had a smirk on his face and hand his hands shoved into his pockets._

_ "Checkmate," Shikamaru replied with a chuckle. He was about to start walking towards her, but he felt a kunai pressed up against his throat. Scoffing, Shikamaru glanced out of the corner of his eye, Ino was standing beside him with a triumphant smile on her pretty face. "Clever, a substitution," the genius commented when he saw the Ino across the way turn into a log and fall onto the ground._

_ "I'm surprised you didn't catch it," Ino replied._

_ "But I did," Shikamaru replied from behind. Her eyes widened and she gasped when she couldn't move at all. The boy in front of her turned into a log and Ino scowled. "I always think several steps ahead." He smirked and walked towards her, pressing a kunai to her neck._

_ "Yes, you do," Ino stated, licking her lips. Shikamaru chuckled lightly and lowered his kunai and knelt down to pick up the other one he had through to pin her shadow. As he stood up, Ino quickly whirled around to strike him with her kunai._

_ He twirled the one he had in his hand and blocked it, pushing her back towards a nearby tree. When Ino's back was pressed up against the tree, Shikamaru crossed his two kunai over one another and pressed them to her neck. She let out a shaky breath, but had her own kunai up to his neck. They stared into each other's eyes and panted heavily, the battle had been quite intense. Swallowing, Ino closed her eyes and turned away from him. Shikamaru knew that she was done, so he slowly lowered his kunai from her neck._

_ They were still close to one another, his body pressed against hers. She bit her lip and Shikamaru traced her face with his eyes. All of the sudden, Ino wasn't just his teammate, she was this beautiful and dangerous kuniochi. He smiled weakly and let out a breath, stepping away from her. When Ino brushed her bangs behind her ear, Shikamaru noticed she had a faint blush on her cheeks. He didn't know why, nor did he dare ask. If he did Ino would probably call him a lair and yell his ear right off. He couldn't deny it though, he felt a little something a tug at his heart strings._

_ "Good match," Shikamaru whispered and Ino met his eyes. She smiled at him and nodded her head in agreement. "Come on, lets get some lunch. My treat." He smiled at her and she laughed lightly, agreeing to have lunch with him._

Shikamaru snapped out of his memories when he heard Naruto walk up to him. He let out a breath and looked at the blond, who was pointing straight ahead to an island in the distance. Shikamaru's eyes rested on the island it was about another couple of miles out, but they would be there in no time.

"Chojuro says we'll have to walk part of the way, he says the reef is too shallow and full of sharp rocks, the boat won't make it," Naruto explained and Shikamaru nodded his head in understanding. "You okay?" Naruto asked, seeing that Shikamaru was a bit troubled.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Shikamaru muttered. He really was okay, he was just missing Ino. The effect she had on him was strange to him, but he just couldn't help himself. Naruto leaned against the railing and gave his friend a disbelieving look. "Just missing Ino, that's all." The lazy shinobi shrugged his shoulders and Naruto smiled, understanding how he felt.

Ever since Naruto had his little date with Sakura, he felt this need to see her everyday. The mission was kind of getting in the way of that. They would be able to go home soon though, just another few days and it would all be over. "Yeah, I miss Sakura too." Naruto looked up at the blue sky and sighed softly before finishing by saying, "we'll be home soon though, let's just get to the island and check out the ruins." Shikamaru nodded in agreement and Naruto smirked at his friend.

After another half hour, the island was about half a mile away. The captain of the ship had dropped the anchor and Chojuro came over to the two. "We'll have to go by foot from here." He climbed onto the railing and jumped down. Naruto and Shikamaru looked down at him and followed in suit. "Let's go." He started running towards the shower and Shikamaru and Naruto followed right behind him.

When they arrived at the shore a few moments later, Shikamaru looked around and could see the remains of old ships and what looked like fishing huts. There were a few wooden post sticking out from the bay area, probably once where old docks had been. As they walked towards an old beaten road, Shikamaru could see the remains of an old stone fence. Parts had been knocked to the ground and were in mass piles of rubbles while other parts of the wall remained intact covered with heavy vinery.

"What exactly are we looking for anyways?" Naruto inquired when they arrived at the wall that once surrounded the massive village. Inside were piles of rubble, a few houses and building still remained, large boulders were covered in a thick moss, and thick grass was sprouting everywhere. Shards of glass were scattered about on the ground and there were even old ninja tools scattered about. On a few buildings, Shikamaru could see burn marks along with water damage.

"I want to know more about that ritual," Shikamaru explained, which meant they would have to find a temple or shrine. "Chojuro do you know where they conducted them?" he inquired, turning to look at the blue haired boy standing beside a building, inspecting it.

The entire place was covered in ash and driftwood. As they walked there footprints left behind footprint trails. Chojuro was leading them deep into the heart of the ruined village, he told them it was a temple of sorts with a huge chamber located underground. According to Chojuro, it would be the only place that was still completely intact after the Kiri shinobi wiped it out years ago.

When they reached the top of a hill, Chojuro stopped walking and pointed straight ahead. Shikamaru followed where he was pointing and raised a brow. The temple was rather large, but it hadn't been touched in years so it was overgrown with vines and moss. Its stone pillars were cracked, but for the most part they looked like they were in good shape. The windows of the temple were completely shattered and the doors were hanging off the hinges. The grass around the area was completely over grown and there were several clay pots that were shattered about. The brick path that was one there was no longer smooth, but rather uneven and sprouting weeds and anthills.

"Welcome to Dragon Country," Chojuro said and started walking on down the uneven pathway. Naruto and Shikamaru both looked at each other before they followed after him. The temple had four towers on each side, but one was completely blown apart. The temple's rough once rose high into the air with large stone arches, but some of them had broken down while others were now covered in thick green vines.

"This place must have been incredible," Naruto said as they stood under the arches. Chojuro nodded in agreement and looked through the doorway. It was dark inside, but that didn't stop them. They entered the room, which was dimly lighted from the holes in the ceiling above them. The ground was moist, mostly made of moss and mud with puddles scattered about. "What are we looking for?" Naruto asked as he ducked under a fallen wooden beam that had several kunai stabbed into it.

"The lower chamber is this way," Chojuro replied, waving for the two Leaf shinobi to follow him through an archway into a stone hallway with thin windows that were cracked and shattered with plants growing through them. "No one had been into these ruins in eight years."

"Why not?" Shikamaru asked.

Chojuro stopped walking and looked over his shoulders at the two before saying, "it's forbidden."

"Then what are we doing here?" Naruto inquired with furrowed brow.

"You're situation is different, if Takahiro is conducting the ritual that the Mizukage believes he is, we must stop him at all cost," Chojuro answered and continued walking until they reached a stone stairwell, leading down into the earth. It wasn't exactly the most welcoming entrance ever and if anything it was very ominous and had a chill feel coming from it. "Watch your step." Chojuro walked down the stairs and Shikamaru sighed and followed him down. Naruto who was a bit hesitant, grumbled about how going into a dark hole just didn't seem logical.

When they reached the bottom of the steps, Chojuro pulled out a flare and the area around them lit up. They were in a square chamber and there were two large stone doors. Chojuro moved along the wall and Shikamaru noticed there were strange engravings carved into the stone. The images seemed to be of dragons and humans. Walking closer tot eh wall, Shikamaru looked at them carefully, studying them.

"Are you sure we won't get trapped down here?" Naruto asked as Chojuro was running his hand gently against the stone wall.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Chojuro assured him and stopped when he found what he had been looking for. Shikamaru wasn't paying the other two any mind as he tried to figure out what the pictures were signifying. Suddenly the ground started shaking beneath them and dust feel from the ceiling. Naruto yelped and jumped back up, running halfway up the stairs. Shikamaru stood up quickly and looked at the two stone doors that had come open. "Welcome to the treasury." Chojuro looked back at the two and Shikamaru walked into the room.

"Naruto come on," Shikamaru called out as Chojuro followed him. There were several torches on the wall and they were all lit up, causing the room to glow. For a treasury the room was completely empty aside from a few chest and trunks scattered about the room. "Open the chest, maybe we'll find something."

Chojuro and Naruto both nodded and started popping open some chest. Most of them were filled with golden artifacts like goblets and fine china, some had family records, and others were completely empty. Shikamaru found a trunk by a stone pillar and noticed it had a lock on it. He furrowed his brows and knelt down in front of it. Using his shadows, Shikamaru picked at the lock until it popped open. Yanking the latch up, Shikamaru pushed the lead up and tilted his head.

"Did you find something?" Naruto asked when he saw Shikamaru beginning to dig around in a trunk. It was full of sand and he was shoveling it out. Walking over, Naruto watched over his shoulder and saw that Shikamaru had discovered a portrait of some sort. "Hey that girl looks like...Ino."

"This is the same girl," Shikamaru gasped. It was the same girl from the picture of Tobirama's scroll back in the Konoha Archives. "She does look like Ino, but the eyes...they're different colors." He pointed to the girls eyes, one was a dark sapphire blue while the other was an emerald green color.

"Chojuro do you know what was so special about this girl?" Naruto asked, waving for the blue haired boy to come over.

"That's Princess Ai, she was a priestess here at the temple," Chojuro explained to the two of them. "She sacrificed herself on the night of the raid."

"Sacrificed?" Shikamaru repeated in question.

"In order to save their dragons," Chojuro clarified and Shikamaru nodded stiffly, he had a feeling that this is what Takahiro was after.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey there friends, thanks for reading this story and as always thank you all for the feedback on the last chapter. I would like to address something that was brought up in a comment. The person did not say their name, however they commented that if this is a ShikaIno story, I should focus mainly on that couple. I would just like to say that, while yes, Ino and Shikamaru are the main couple and characters of this story, that doesn't mean everything will be about them. There will be Sasuke and Hinata moments and there will also be some Naruto and Sakura moments, it's just how I operate. So hopefully that doesn't bother anyone, if it does well, find another story to read is all I can say. In any case, thanks to everyone who has commented thus far I truly appreciate your feedback.


	14. Inception

**Inception**

"Remember nothing around you is real, although it may feel real. Think of it as putting yourself under a genjutsu," Heisuke explained as Ino was sitting at her kitchen table. Chouji was with them as well and was poking around her house. They had started Ino's training about four hours ago and were currently in her mind. Heisuke was teaching her how to build a much more complex field in her mind in order to make it harder for enemies to find information. "So far you only have the flower shop and your own house, but we need to expand this." Heisuke walked towards a window and pulled back one of the blinds, revealing some sunlight and open blue skies.

Ino stood up from her seat and walked over to the window and gasped. Aside from her house and the flower shop there was nothing, but wide open spaces. Green grassy knolls for miles and miles without anything else. Heisuke let the blind down and went back over to the table and took a seat.

"This is kind of creepy," Chouji said as he came back into the kitchen they were in. Heisuke nodded and explained that Ino's mind still needed a lot of cultivation. "So is everyone's mind like this?" the chubby man asked, pulling out a chair to take a seat.

"No, because Yamanaka's are mind walkers we have this special ability to create these worlds," Heisuke explained and Ino turned around to look at her cousin. She was amazed that her clan had the ability to do such things, she could only imagine what her father's must have been like. "However not all of us are strong enough to do it. Think of this as a reserve of the Mind Transfer Jutsu," Heisuke explained to Ino, who nodded slowly and took a seat at the table.

"So instead of me entering someone's mind, I allow them into mine," Ino assumed and Heisuke nodded once. "Isn't that dangerous though."

"It can be," Heisuke replied and Ino furrowed her brows. "Especially when you forget reality."

* * *

"I hope you can find a way to stop him," The Mizukage said at the gates of Kirigakure. Shikamaru looked at Mei Terumi and smiled weakly, nodding his head. He knew full well that Takahiro Kuzuryu was not just a threat to Konoha, but also a threat to the Land of Waves. It was uncertain when Takahiro would strike again, but Shikamaru planned on stopping him before he could. He wasn't sure if Takahiro was planning on resurrecting the nine dragons of his village, but if he was a great darkness would take over their world.

"I suggest you keep a patrol around Kuzuryu Island," Shikamaru told the Mizukage, who nodded once in understanding. "If he plans on doing this ritual, it'll be there." The woman agreed with him and Shikamaru smiled weakly before turning to Naruto, who was standing behind him.

"Be careful boys," Mei cautioned them and stepped back in line with Chojuro and the other shinobi guards. Shikamaru and Naruto both bowed and thanked her for her help and hospitality. "If you find anything-"

"I will send word," Shikamaru assured her and turned around on his heels. "Let's go home." Naruto smiled at the thought of being back in his own village. He'd had enough of mist and rain and wind and tropical storms, he wanted to be back in the forest where there was plenty of sunshine. Being waist deep in mud for the past few days was just not his idea of a good time.

Once the two where far enough, Naruto glanced over his shoulder to see the Mizukage and her shinobi guards going back into the village. She had allowed Shikamaru to take portrait they had found, which was wrapped up and placed in his pack. Thankfully the sun was out today, which meant they could leave as soon as they arrived to the port.

"So what do you think now?" Naruto asked, they had returned from the ruins the other evening and the Mizukage told them what little she knew about Princess Ai. The information was a bit startling at first, but it also made sense. "Do you think that Takahiro is going after Ino?" the blond asked and Shikamaru stopped walking for a moment, letting out a breath. Naruto turned to his friend with a hint of worry in his eyes, he understood it was not something Shikamaru took lightly.

"If the portrait is an accurate depiction of Princess Ai, then there is a very good chance he will be after her, but I think we're still missing something," Shikamaru explained, staring down at the ground. The gears in his head hadn't stopped turning since the Mizukage told him that Princess Ai was the only one who could release the dragons from their prisons. "The Mizukage said that the dragons were still on the island, they had been locked away in the temple. She also said Princess Ai was the only one to release them, making a look alike of Princess Ai is probably not enough to free the dragons."

"So what are you thinking then?" Naruto inquired, having a hard time following all this information. He sometimes wondered how Shikamaru was able to keep it all straight then again the boy was just a natural genius.

"I'm not sure just yet," Shikamaru replied with a shrug. "We have to get the others and get back to the village, maybe Lady Tsunade knows something about this Princess Ai." Naruto nodded in agreement and the two jumped up into the trees, heading out to find Sasuke and Hinata.

* * *

Kakashi and Yamato had arrived to the small village that had been destroyed. It looked as though it had been burned to the ground with the ash marks on the wall and the dry brittle remains of the few trees that still stood. The silver haired jounin had summoned his ninja hounds and had them searching the village as well as the surrounding areas for any survivors. He found it had to believe that a village of fishermen would be attacked and left with not a single survivor.

Walking along the river, Kakashi looked at the row boats that were still tied to the docks and the fishing nets that had been hung out to dry. According to Tsunade the village had been attack a few nights ago. Sighing, Kakashi was worried not a single body had been found. No one dead, nor anyone living it was all very eerie and ghostly. As the masked shinobi continued walking along the docks he saw barrels that had been knocked over and had scorch marks on them. It was apparent whoever attacked this village was someone who used fire type jutsus.

Crouching down by the barrels, Kakashi ran his hand along the burn marks of the wooden barrel. His eyes went back to the village that was shrouded in the shadows from the late night coming upon them. There was also a light fog all around, making the place even more haunted feeling. Normally Kakashi wouldn't be so freaked out, but everything about the village was just strange. He hadn't seen any blood, which was very off-putting to him. Scratching the back of his neck, he started up the stone steps to the village huts.

Yamato had walked out of a house when he spotted Kakashi coming up the steps. The brunette went over to Kakashi questioning if he found anything, but he simply shook his head. That made Yamato uneasy, where could all the people have gone. It was obvious that they hadn't been gone long. Kakashi had his hands in his pockets and walked over to Yamato. They both stood side by side as the fog covered the entire area.

"No bodies, no blood, something isn't right," Kakashi muttered and Yamato agreed with him. "Maybe the hounds have found something."

"Kakashi," Pakkun called as he appeared before the two. The silver haired jounin looked down at the little dog and crouched down to his level, telling him to say what he had found. "We searched the entire perimeter and looked through the village, nothing is left."

"Not the news I was hoping for," Kakashi stated as he stood back up and looked around, it just didn't feel right to him. "Any unusual scents?" the jounin questioned, looking back down at the little hound.

"It's clean," Pakkun explained.

"This isn't adding up, how can eighty people just up and disappear into thin air," Yamato thought aloud, rubbing his chin with his thumb. Kakashi seconded that thought and swallowed hard, they had to figure out what happened in the village. It was way to close to home for something like this to have happened. "Should we keep searching the village?" Yamato inquired, looking to Kakashi.

"Pakkun where is the strongest scent of fish coming from?" Kakashi inquired, looking down at the little hound, who gave him a quizzical look.

"Fish?" Pakkun repeated and lifted his nose in the air, taking in a few whiffs. "About a half mile down stream." The dog lift his paw and pointed towards the northwest. Nodding his head Kakashi started off in that direction with Yamato and Pakkun in tow. As they started down the steps to the shoreline of the river, a howl sounded in the direction they were heading.

"They found something," Kakashi said and darted off.

"Wait for us!" Yamato shouted, chasing after Kakashi.

* * *

Ino had been trying to build her mind-scape with the help of Heisuke. They had been at it for several hours now and she was starting to get really tired. Chouji had encouraged her to keep going though because she was making quite a bit of progress. Heisuke second that, he had managed to get Ino to add an entire street into her mind-scape. He knew for a fact though she wouldn't be able to do much more, building worlds within the mind took weeks and months and sometimes even years.

The blonde girl finally hit her limit and fell back on the grass in her yard. Chouji ran over to her side and started to fan her as she panted heavily, beads of sweat rolling down the side of her face. Heisuke smiled warmly, Ino was showing a lot of promise. Her father would be proud of all she had accomplished in one day.

"This jutsu is the hardest of them all," Heisuke said, walking over to Ino who sat up. He knelt down in front of her and gave her a smile. "Ino you must never forget the difference between this world and reality."

"I understand," Ino replied with a nod and Heisuke put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. He had explained the importance of remembering what was real and what wasn't. Heisuke told her that if she got lost in this world, she would die in the real world. According to him there was a time difference between her mind and reality, a minute out in the real world was an hour within her mind. He explained that years and lifetimes could go by in her mind if she wasn't careful. The jutsu was very powerful and he told her it was only to be used when trying to interrogate someone.

"Remember this jutsu is seductive," Heisuke warned and Ino looked into his eyes, nodding once in understanding. "Staying her for extended amounts of time is a death sentence. Your father created this jutsu in order to get the facts and truth out of people, he would find their greatest fears and used them against the person. It works quite well, getting to know the person, making them believe all this is real."

"How could anyone believe this is real, no one is here," Ino said suddenly, gesturing to the empty street side she had just created.

"I have taught you how to manifest people yet, you aren't ready for that yet. You have to first figure out how to tell the difference between reality and this world," Heisuke told her and she nodded slowly. "Just as well, that's enough of this for today. We still need to see if you can handle the Compulsion Jutsu and the Mind Alteration Jutsu."

"Compulsion and Mind Alteration?" Ino repeated and the man nodded his head.

"This is why I asked Chouji to tag along," Heisuke explained, gesturing to the auburn haired boy sitting beside Ino. "We'll need him to be a...test dummy so to speak." The dark haired Yamanaka shrugged his shoulders and Chouji looked a bit worried about what would happen to him.

"It won't hurt him will it?" Ino asked, noticing the worry on her teammates face.

"No," Heisuke replied shaking his head. "There is a special jutsu that I have created though that I want to teach you. It seems only right that you, the future head of the clan, should know how to use it."

"What's it called?" Ino questioned with a raised brow.

"I call it the Mind Stunning," Heisuke answered.

* * *

Hinata and Sasuke had grown tired of just sitting around waiting for Shikamaru and Naruto arrive. They had received word early in the morning they were leaving for Konoha today. When they arrived at the rendezvous point, hours went by and still Naruto and Shikamaru had yet to arrive. It had been nearly six hours. Normally Sasuke was patient, but for the past five days he had done nothing, but sit around in a cave with the Hyuga girl. She was interesting to him though to say the least, she was very highly skilled in taijutsu, but she was very soft spoken.

"Let's do some training," Sasuke said suddenly, pushing off the railing of the bridge they were waiting at that was about two hours outside of the Mist Village. Hinata raised a brow at Sasuke as he unsheathed his sword and admired it for a few moments, before looking at Hinata. She tilted her head slightly and smirked, nodding her head. They really had nothing better to do and it would help the time pass until Shikamaru and Naruto arrived.

"Very well then," Hinata agreed with a smile and pulled out a scroll. She opened it up and waved her hands over the ink scrawled onto the page, summoning two short swords.

"You know how to use those?" Sasuke asked, slightly amused by the fact. Hinata nodded her head and twirled the blades in her hands, holding them both in front of her. A smirk came onto Sasuke's face, she did seem to know her stuff based on her stance that was perfect for both attack and defending. "Okay, come at me with the intent to kill."

Hinata looked at Sasuke a bit worried, she knew he was strong, but that didn't mean he should be so reckless. It was obvious he was underestimating her skills. Sasuke quickly sheathed his blade and stood before her with his arms loosely hanging at his sides. Licking her lips, the Hyuga heiress decided to go in for the attack. As she charged him, Sasuke swiftly drew his sword and knocked both of Hinata's blades from her hands. The indigo haired girl gasped and Sasuke disappeared from in front of her, she turned quickly only to find the tip of Sasuke's blade at her throat.

"I'm a master of the quick draw," Sasuke told her and Hinata only smirked as she built the charka up in her hands. Lifting them quickly, she took hold of Sasuke's blade and snapped it in half. The Uchiha jumped back as Hinata then started coming after him. "Not bad, and here I thought you were klutz." The Hyuga girl tried to strike him again, but Sasuke vanished in the blink of an eye.

"You shouldn't underestimate the quiet ones, they always have tricks up their sleeves," Hinata said simply as she activated her Byakugan. She found Sasuke and turned around to block the kunai he threw at her. Several of them had paper bombs attached to them, so she swiftly jumped back as smoke and debris flew about from the explosives. As the smoke started to clear, Hinata ducked down as Sasuke came up behind her with a kunai. Sticking her leg out, she swept it under him, but he jumped up.

"You are pretty good at taijutsu, I'll give you that," Sasuke commented as they stood apart from each other. He twirled the kunai in his hand and went in for a direct attack. Hinata narrowed her eyes and reached for a kunai blocking his strike. He pushed her back with a surprising amount of force, but she managed to hold up against him. "Let's see how you handle this." Sasuke ducked down and kicked her legs out from under her. As Hinata fell onto the ground she rolled away as Sasuke slammed his kunai into the ground where she had been moments ago.

The sweat was building up on the back of her neck, Sasuke was very intense for just a casual spar. In a way it was almost frightening to her, but he could see by the glimmer in his dark eyes, he meant her no harm at all. She rolled up onto her feet and unleashed a flurry of kunai his way. Sasuke deflected a few and jumped out of the line of fire seconds later. He performed a few hand signs and unleashed a massive fireball, Hinata's eyes widened and she quickly stood to her feet creating a sphere of chakra around herself to deflect the fireball.

"What the heck are you two doing?" Naruto asked suddenly as he and Shikamaru jumped down from the trees and onto the pathway.

Sasuke and Hinata both looked at him after having their little spar. "Killing time," Sasuke replied and Naruto raised a brow at his friend.

"Well next time try to do that without causing a huge commotion," Shikamaru chimed in and gestured to the damage the two had created in the surrounding area. "Anyways, we got some leads, let's head back to the village."

"What did you find?" Hinata asked as she dusted herself off.

"We found a portrait of a girl who looks just like Ino," Naruto explained and Hinata quickly looked to Shikamaru, who nodded. She could see the worry in his eyes, he may have kept a calm exterior, but it was obvious he wanted to get back to her.

"So then it's confirmed, he is after Ino," Sasuke clarified and Shikamaru nodded his head in agreement.

"But what he intends to do with her is still unclear, hopefully while we were away they found out more about what Takahiro is doing," Shikamaru said, looking at each of the three shinobi.

"If not, we'll find out soon enough," Naruto assured his friend, placing his hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. "Come on, I'm ready to get out of this place."

Agreeing with Naruto the four started walking towards the coast where they would board a ship and head back to the Leaf Village, where Shikamaru could kiss and hold Ino all night long.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the wait there everyone, been busy with life and, of course my other stories. So next chapter Ino and Shikamaru will be reunited, which means more moments with them, yay! Thanks for reading, tell me what you thought!


	15. Return

**Return**

Kakashi closed his eyes and turned away from the bodies piled in the middle of the clearing. Crouching down to his knee, Kakashi ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. All the fishermen from the village were right here before him, lifeless, soulless shells. The tree branches behind him rattled as Yamato jumped down with Pakkun right beside him. The two landed beside Kakashi and looked at the bodies lying in the tall grass just a half mile out from the village. Shaking his head, Kakashi stood up and sighed heavily, there were no survivors and it seems there would be no leads either.

"We need to figure out how many souls he needs," Kakashi said and Yamato nodded in agreement as his eyes looked over the bodies. "None of them appear to have been harmed physically, it seems he got them here by other means."

"What do we do with the bodies?" Yamato asked, walking out to get a closer look. They were already bloated and beginning to decompose.

"Burn them," Kakashi said and Yamato looked over at him. "This is Takahiro's doing, we'll just have to hope that Shikamaru was able to find out why he's collecting so many souls."

* * *

Ino didn't have time for this, her stomach just wasn't settling at all. Heisuke and Chouji would be waiting for her at the training grounds. They were supposed to meet at nine sharp and it was ten minutes til. For some reason she just felt nauseated and she wasn't sure why. Letting out a breath as she hovered over her kitchen sink, Ino told herself to just relax and take a few breaths until her stomach settled. Missing was not an option the past several days she had been making such progress in her training, she already had a quarter of Konoha built up in her mind scape. Today they were tackling Mind Stunning though and Ino was very eager to learn Heisuke's special jutsu.

Her stomach seemed to start settling so Ino stood up straight and nodded, turning on her heels. Making her way to the door, Ino felt her stomach beginning to act up again. Placing her hand on her stomach, Ino rubbed it in a soothing manner. She had been fine the past couple of days, but all of the sudden she just felt sick. It might have been the left over pasta she had eaten last night. Shaking it off, Ino slipped on her shoes and walked right on out the door.

"You going out to train?" Ino's mother asked as she was watering the flowers on the table outside their greenhouse. The blonde looked over to her mother and nodded, saying she'd be back by dinner. Her mother noticed that Ino looked a bit pale. "Ino!" her mother shouted out and Ino stopped at the back door of the flower shop, which was closed for the day.

"Yes?" Ino asked, smiling to her mother.

"Do you think you should train today? You seem a little pale, maybe you should take the day off today," her mother said in a concerned tone as she walked over to her daughter. Placing a hand on her forehead, she could feel that Ino's temperature was fine, it was probably just all the intense training she was doing. There were several times when Inoichi over did his training that he would eventually pass out and be bedridden for several days. Ino's mother did not want to see her daughter go through such an experience. "If you train to hard you could exhausted yourself, you remember how your father used to be."

"Mom don't worry, I'm perfectly fine and I'm making so much progress," Ino explained, taking hold of her mom's hands, giving them a gentle and reassuring squeeze. The older woman sighed softly and looked into her daughter's beautiful blue eyes. She was so much like her father always striving to make his jutsu more refined. "If it gets to be too much Heisuke and Chouji will make me stop, but until then I need to do this." Letting go of her mother's hand, Ino smiled and turned on her heels about to leave.

"I know, but something just doesn't seem right about you lately, sweetheart," her mother commented and Ino furrowed her brows, turning back to look at her mother. "Is there something you aren't telling me?"

"Mom, I'm perfectly fine," Ino assured her with a kind smile. "I haven't trained in a while, so my body is trying to get used to it. After what happened to Chizuru, I have to be prepared to defend myself and our clan, Heisuke is helping me do that. Please try and understand, if things go to far I will stop. Until then though this is just something I have to do."

"Okay," her mom said softly with a single nod.

"Thank you," Ino replied and turned back around and opened up the back door of the flower shop.

"Did you and Shikamaru use protection?" her mother asked suddenly and Ino froze. She licked her lips and looked over her shoulder to see her mom, staring at her. "I only ask because when I got pregnant with you I would get pale sometimes."

"Mom." Ino turned and looked at her mother completely taken aback by her statement. "I'm not pregnant, I'm just out of shape." The blonde shrugged her shoulder and her mom tilted her head.

"But did you?" her mother asked.

"Yes, of course," Ino replied with a nod. It was a lie, neither times did Ino and Shikamaru use protection. She hadn't been on birth control either and suddenly she felt a bit nervous, but she hid it. "I'm not pregnant."

"Alright, well be careful and take care of yourself," her mother said with a smile and Ino smiled back, relieved her mother wasn't pressing the matter any further. Saying goodbye once more, Ino darted out the door and ran straight to the front.

When she got up to the front Ino fell back against the door. Pregnancy hadn't crossed her mind until her mother pointed it out. It was the very first thing she should have thought of. She started to do the math in her head, Shikamaru and Ino slept together the first time almost six weeks ago. If she were, in fact, pregnant there would be no doubt morning sickness was coming into play.

Biting her lip, Ino looked up at the roof top to the building across the street. She didn't want to be seen as she checked if she was pregnant. Leaping up to the building's roof, Ino stood near the water barrel on the roof and focused her chakra. Her hand began to glow green and she put it over her stomach and uterus area. She closed her eyes and tried to sense anything. Her eyes came open a moment later, she was pregnant she could feel the chakra from the growing fetus within her.

"Oh my God," Ino gasped as she removed her hand and fell back against the water tank behind her. "I'm...pregnant."

How was she supposed to do this? How was she supposed to tell Shikamaru?

* * *

"Finally," Naruto breathed in relief as the gates of the Leaf appeared just ahead. He was ready to be home, he had enough of water, rain, and boats to last him a lifetime. "And just in time for lunch." Naruto looked up at the sky and sighed as the summer sun was beating down on them.

"Don't go running off yet, we have to report this to Tsunade," Shikamaru interjected, gesturing to the wrapped up portrait tucked away in Naruto's pack. The blond groaned he was craving some Ichiraku ramen and he happened to know that Sakura's lunch was starting in ten minutes. "Come on, let's go." Shikamaru started walking again and the other three followed behind him.

"Shikamaru!" someone called from behind and his squad stopped. They all turned to see Chouji walking up with Heisuke Yamanaka at his side. "Welcome home." Chouji waved and Shikamaru smiled, nodding to the two men coming their way.

"Thanks, where are you two coming from?" Shikamaru inquired, surprised to see Chouji with Heisuke. They weren't really close to him at all, in fact other than knowing he was Ino's cousin they knew nothing about him.

"We were supposed to be meeting Ino at the training ground, but she never showed. We were going to go check on her," Chouji explained not seeming very worried about it. Shikamaru on the other hand felt his heart jump from his chest and panic wave throughout his body. After what they found out in the Land of Waves, Shikamaru didn't like that news at all. "What's wrong?" Chouji asked as he noticed Shikamaru tensing up and going pale.

Shikamaru vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Wait a second, Shikamaru!" Naruto shouted, but the genius shinobi was already gone.

"What's going on?" Heisuke asked.

"We found out some interesting information back in the Land of Waves," Naruto began and both Chouji and Heisuke nodded in understanding as the blond continued, "The short version is there was a woman who looked exactly like Ino that was a part of some ritual to unleash the nine dragons that worked with the Kuzuryu clan."

"Dragons? Ritual?" Heisuke repeated shocked by the information he was just given. He knew the Kuzuryu clan were users of dragons, but he had no idea they had some sort of ritual for them. "What kind of ritual are we talking about?" the dark haired man asked, becoming worried for his cousin's safety. "Does Chizuru's death have anything to do with this ritual?" he questioned.

"We don't know yet, we're still working on that," Naruto explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "Trust me, Shikamaru isn't going to let anything happen to Ino."

"I know that," Heisuke said. If there was anyone who took care of Ino better than her own parents it was Shikamaru and Chouji. Even when they were training, Heisuke saw the camaraderie between Chouji and Ino. When they were growing up, Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji were always together. Shikamaru though had been watching over Ino more so than Chouji did, he dried her tears, encouraged her, and was her rock.

Without Shikamaru, Heisuke was certain that Ino wouldn't be the girl she was today. When her father passed, he was right there beside her. When she took the chuunin exams for the second time, he helped train her. When her heart was broken, Shikamaru was there to pick up the broken pieces. It didn't take a genius to tell that Shikamaru was in love with Ino and it wasn't until recently that Heisuke realized Ino was in love with Shikamaru as well.

* * *

Shikamaru landed in front of Ino's front door and knocked on the door. Seconds later Ino's mother opened the door and gave him a surprised look.

"Shikamaru, I didn't know you were back," Ino's mother said, opening the door completely. "What's wrong dear, your breathing very hard."

"Where's Ino?" Shikamaru asked, trying to get his breathing under control, but he had sprinted about two miles.

"Training with Heisuke and Chouji, why?" Ino's mother explained and furrowed her brows. "Shikamaru?" He was already gone and it made her worry. It wasn't like Shikamaru to seem so frantic.

As Shikamaru got to the rooftop, he tried to think of where Ino could possibly be. Turning in the direction of the hospital, he darted off in that direction. Maybe she was with Sakura and they were just having lunch, he didn't want to assume the worse, not yet at least. It wasn't like no for her to not show up to training. She was always on time and she was always ready to go.

It didn't take long for Shikamaru to arrive at the Leaf Hospital. He landed in the courtyard and started walking towards the double door entrance. Flinging the doors open, Shikamaru rushed in and went straight to the nurse's station.

"Is Sakura Haruno here?" Shikamaru asked, leaning on the blue-gray colored counter. The woman behind the desk nodded and pointed to the pinkette across the room. Shikamaru turned and walked over, hoping that Sakura knew where Ino was. "Sakura!" Shikamaru called out as he approached.

"Shikamaru! When did you get back? You look exhausted, what's going on?" Sakura asked when she turned around to look at him. He was sweaty and was panting not to mention he looked very worried and flustered. That was unlike Shikamaru, he was normally very calm and collected.

"Ino," Shikamaru said and Sakura nodded slowly, "where is she?"

"She's been training with her cousin and Chouji all week, I haven't seen her," Sakura explained and picked up that Shikamaru didn't like that answer. He pinched the bridge of his nose and cursed, which made Sakura nervous. Had something bad happened to her? Did he find something out on the mission? "Shikamaru you're freaking me out, what's wrong?" Sakura put her hand on his arm and he looked at her.

"Do you have any idea where she would be?" Shikamaru questioned.

"You mean she isn't with Chouji and her cousin?"

"No," Shikamaru replied, shaking his head worriedly. "She isn't at home either."

"I have no idea," Sakura said honestly. "Do you think something bad happened?"

"It's possible," Shikamaru told her and Sakura put a hand over her mouth, shaking her head. That was not what she wanted to hear. "I'm going to check with Tsunade." He turned on his heels and started walking back towards the door.

When he got back outside, Shikamaru froze when he saw Ino up near the front gates of the courtyard. Letting out a sigh of relief, Shikamaru ran over to her side and called her name. The blonde girl stopped pacing and turned on her heels to look at him. He walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Are you okay? Where have you been? Chouji said you never showed up, I got worried," he fussed and pulled her into his arms. She was a bit shocked to find Shikamaru there, so it took her a second to react. Although her true worry was her pregnancy, it suddenly became more real when she was standing outside of the hospital with Shikamaru holding her in his arms.

"I'm sorry, I just wasn't feeling well so I went for a little walk and lost track of time," Ino explained and it was the truth, she was a little nauseated.

"I'm just glad you're okay, did you want to go in? I scared Sakura a bit, she'll probably be relieved to see you." Shikamaru pulled away from her and cupped her face in his hands. He was so happy to see her, he just wanted to stay with her for the rest of the day. She had really scared him, if Takahiro got a hold of her he would never forgive himself.

"Oh no, I'm fine. We should tell Sakura I'm alright though," Ino said and Shikamaru nodded, smiling at her. "I'm so happy your back." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he laughed lightly kissing her temple and hugged her back tightly. He didn't realize he missed her so much, seeing her again just lifted his spirits even though he had troublesome news.

"I am too, I missed you," Shikamaru admitted as he rubbed her back soothingly. Ino smiled and buried her face into his chest. She had to tell him about the pregnancy, but she didn't know if now was the right time. He'd just gotten back from a mission and was probably very tired. She pushed those thoughts away though and just relished the moment of being in his arms. Those two weeks he had been gone felt like a year to her, she had been wanting him to be there when she was training.

"Okay, let's go tell Sakura you found me," Ino said as she pulled away from Shikamaru and took hold of his hand, pulling him into the hospital lobby. She looked back down at their hands when Shikamaru laced his fingers with hers. A small smile came onto her face and Ino felt like everything would be okay.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hell everyone, I apologize for the wait. Thank you all for the comments, I can't wait to hear what you thought about this chapter. See you next time!


	16. Torn

**Torn**

"Sakura!" Naruto called out, running towards the pink haired girl in her nurse's uniform. She smiled when she saw him running over to her that late evening with that goofy grin on his face. "Are you done for today?" he asked her as they started walking across the courtyard.

"Yes, why?" Sakura asked with a raised brow as they got to the other side of the courtyard and onto on of the main roads of the village.

"I was thinking we should get something to eat," Naruto said with a small shrug and put his hands behind his head. Sakura looked at him and chuckled as he tried to act all nonchalant. He'd gotten good at the sly ways of asking her out on a date without it being an actual date. Knowing Naruto he'd say it was just two friends going out for dinner or something, but Sakura knew in the back of his mind he was thinking it was a date.

Honestly though saying yes wouldn't be so bad, she was hungry and she wouldn't mind spending some time with him. He had been gone on a mission for about two weeks and it had gotten pretty quiet without him around. Their last date or outing or whatever it was wasn't bad either, in fact the pinkette had fun. And he did buy her those beautiful flowers and had been doting on her a lot recently. When she was younger she would have just punched him through a wall, but now she was seeing things in a more mature manner.

When Sakura had remained silent for a while, Naruto said, "Sakura you can turn me down if you want."

The pinkette laughed lightly and looked at him. She put her hands on her hips and stared at the handsome young blond man. He gave her a quizzical look and she smiled. Letting out a breath, Sakura said, "pick me up at my place in two hours."

"Really?" Naruto asked with excitement.

"Yes," Sakura replied with a nod. "Don't be late." With those words the pinkette started walking away and Naruto beamed like a kid in a candy store. When she was around the corner, Naruto started jumping up and down, throwing a fist into the air. After he got that episode out of his system, he quickly made a beeline for his apartment so he could shower and change before his date with Sakura, although she probably wouldn't consider it a date.

* * *

Shikamaru pushed Ino back against the wall and trapped her there, putting his hands on either side of her. She panted lightly and moaned when his lips captured hers. Her hands went to his lean chest and slowly moved over his planes. She bit on his lower lip and a growl emerged from deep in his throat. He gripped her hips and sucked on her lips. His hands traveled down to her bottom and he gently squeezed it. Ino moaned in pleasure and gripped the bottom of his shirt, pulling it over his head and tossed it aside.

"What the hell are we doing?" Ino asked between kisses. Shikamaru didn't reply he just began kissing her neck and picked her up. Wrapping her legs around his waist, Ino moaned as his lips trailed over her collar bone. She grabbed the bottom of her shirt and threw it down onto the wooden floor, leaving a trail of clothes from the foyer of Shikamaru's house to his bedroom.

"I have no idea," Shikamaru breathed as he unhooked Ino's bra and let it drop to the floor. It didn't take long for him to carry her into his bedroom. He kicked the door open and Ino moaned when his mouth was on her breast. She gripped his shoulders tightly and let her head fall back. When Shikamaru got to the bed he sat down on the edge of it and continued to fondle with Ino's breast. She moaned his name and moved against his lap, already feeling his erection.

The thought then crossed her mind, Ino was pregnant with Shikamaru's child. When they were having lunch about an hour ago, Ino couldn't bring herself to tell him about her discovery. She kept telling herself she would tell him, but kept pushing off. Before she knew it they were at his place and they started kissing. When he pushed her inside his house, it was all down hill from there. And now there she was, sitting on his lap half naked with his lips and hands all over her. She couldn't help, but moan in pleasure, whispering his name under her breath. The way he touched her made her feel so alive and it really riled her up.

"Shika..." Ino moaned when his hand went for her shorts and he unbuttoned them. His hand went into her pants and below her lace underwear. He could feel the moistness of her folds and began moving against her. "Shikamaru!" Ino cried out when he pushed two fingers inside of her.

To keep her cries of pleasure muffled, Shikamaru put his lips on hers and slowly removed his fingers from within her. She smiled against the kiss and pushed him down on the bed. As they kissed, Ino went to undone Shikamaru's pants when a knock came to the front door. The two stopped and panted heavily as the person continued to pound on the door. Shikamaru cursed and Ino giggled lightly as she moved off of him.

"Shikamaru! I know you're in there with Ino!" Chouji's voice came. Getting to his feet, Shikamaru quickly went to the door while Ino remained sitting on his bed. When Shikamaru got to the front door, he pulled it open and looked at his auburn haired friend.

"Bad timing," Shikamaru said as he looked at his friend. The chubby man chuckled and apologized for that. "What's up?" The lazy ninja asked as he leaned against his doorjamb.

"Kakashi and Yamato just got back from there mission," Chouji explained and Shikamaru nodded his head slowly as the man continued, "Takahiro collected more souls from a small fishing village, Lady Tsunade believes that he's going to strike again."

"I told her about that portrait, he'll be after Ino." Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. Takahiro was wasting no time at all, he wanted to bring those dragons back. "Lady Tsunade wanted to have a meeting with me tomorrow, but I guess those plans changed."

Chouji nodded his head and Shikamaru nodded for his friend to come into the house. As he walked in, Ino came walking out wearing one of Shikamaru's shirts. She smiled when she saw Chouji, but it quickly fell when she saw Shikamaru looked a bit worried. "What's going on?" she asked in a worried voice, looking at each of her teammates.

"Takahiro collected more souls," Shikamaru explained and Ino looked down at the ground. Over lunch he had told her all about his mission and it scared her to think that she looked just like this Princess Ai girl. "Without knowing how many he needs or what he needs them for, this puts us in a bad position." When Ino looked at him with worried eyes, he came over to her and put his hand on the side of her face. "You'll be okay, don't worry." He kissed the top of her head and Ino nodded slowly.

"So what now?" Ino asked.

"I don't know," Shikamaru replied honestly. The blonde girl didn't like that answer much, but she understood that he was doing everything he could. They had very little information, but Shikamaru was slowly getting closer and closer to finding out the truth. Going to Kirigakure gave him insight on what Takahiro was really after. "I have to go see the Hokage now."

"I want to come with you," Ino said and Shikamaru stared at her. "This has to do with me, I want to know."

"Okay, let's go then," Shikamaru replied with a nod.

* * *

Sasuke was sitting outside of a tea house. He was leaned back against the table he was at and had one leg resting on his knees with his arms spread on the table. The Uchiha looked every bit relaxed and seemed like a royal. On the table behind him was a empty plate and a single tea cup that was completely empty. He closed his eyes and turned his face upwards towards the late afternoon sun that was slowly sinking behind the trees of the forest. The world around him would soon turn a bold orange color making everything seem like it was in a fire's light.

"Would you like more tea?" the waitress asked, but Sasuke waved her off. She bowed and went back into the tea house, leaving Sasuke alone to his thoughts. His mind was on the spar he had with the Hyuga girl a few days ago. She had surprised him to say the least, she was better than she let on. Granted she wasn't as good as him, but she could probably hold her own.

Opening his dark onyx eyes, Sasuke Uchiha sighed and turned to the sound of gravel crunching under someone's shoes. His eyes found said Hyuga girl coming his way carrying a bag of groceries. She stopped when she saw his eyes on him and smiled kindly. He didn't understand why she was so kind to him, they weren't friends or anything of the sort. Sasuke didn't really have friends aside from Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi. Even with those three he wasn't exactly close to them, they were at arms length.

Given his prior history though who could blame the Uchiha for not wanting to let people get close to him. From a very young age all Sasuke had known was loss and loneliness. It a sense he kind of liked it that way, because it was all he knew. Seeing Hinata smiling at him made him feel a bit odd. Even when Sakura smiled at him it made him a little squirmy. Sasuke just wasn't the type to deal with joyful emotions, he liked being more stoic and taciturn. That's why he attempted to join ANBU, they wore masks and emotion was unneeded.

"Hello, Sasuke," Hinata greeted as she came a little closer. She was soft spoken and far too nice, he felt like with his glare alone he could snap her in half. Not that he would ever do such a thing, he found the girl rather intriguing. Her hair was long a silky, a feature he found attractive despite the fact he believed it would get in the way during battle. She had those pearl like eyes that were alluring and ghostly and something about her presence was just fascinating to him.

"Hyuga," he replied curtly with a stiff nod. She stifled a laugh and shook her head, causing him to raise a brow in confusion. "What's so funny?" Sasuke inquired and noticed the girl quickly regained her composure to be calm and relaxed.

"Sorry," she answered and Sasuke's brows knitted even closer together. She was a very odd girl, always apologizing and so gentle. He could never begin to understand how she was a member of the ANBU. To him, Hinata Hyuga was more like a housewife. Her caring demeanor and beautiful figure was something he would rather see at home than on the battle field.

"Why do you do that?" Sasuke asked.

Now it was Hinata's turn to be confused. "What did I do?" she asked curiously with a tilt of her head.

"Why do you apologize so much?" he pressed and Hinata smiled weakly.

"I guess it's just in my nature," she replied with a humble shrug. Sasuke's nose scrunched up and he shook his head.

"Someone that's in the ANBU should not be so light-hearted and gentle," Sasuke chided and Hinata snickered, which made the Uchiha's ears perk. He hadn't heard her snicker before almost as if she was insulting him for his words.

"Forgive me, Sasuke, but not everyone is as cold as you," Hinata told him simply and Sasuke was impressed by her boldness. This girl just had all sorts of sides to her, fierce in battle, yet gentle like a nurturing mother, apologetic and now even bold. Sasuke had no idea what to make of this. "Have a nice evening." She bowed to him and continued walking on her way home and for some reason, Sasuke couldn't help but watch her leave.

* * *

"You always were the reckless one," Sakura giggled as Naruto and her were eating at a sushi bar. The blond man only laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. They were talking about missions from when they were younger. "And yet you turned out to be this amazing shinobi." Sakura shook her head and stared down into her tea glass. When her eyes slowly lifted she saw Naruto staring at her with surprised filled eyes. She chuckled a bit and looked away, sighing softly and brought her cup up to her lips.

"You really believe that?" Naruto asked, feeling his heart pounding hard in his chest.

"Well, of course I do," Sakura said with a smile as she turned to meet his sparkling blue eyes. He thanked her for the compliment and leaned forward on the table. She shrugged her shoulders and grabbed another piece of the seaweed wrapped food. Popping it into her mouth, she chewed and looked around the restaurant.

There were several other occupied tables three of which were couples, most likely on dates. They were all laughing and smiling like everything was perfect in the world. Sakura smiled weakly at the thought of her younger years when Naruto would beg her to go on a date with him. And now there she was having dinner with him for no apparent reason other than wanting to have his company around her. Naruto had this strange way of making her feel safe and warm, a feeling she didn't get from anyone else. It was addicting in a way and she had no idea when it started happening.

It was probably always there, but she was just blind to it. Her attention has always been everywhere else. She loved Naruto, she really did, but that love wasn't just out of friendship anymore. Sakura feared that her love for Naruto had evolved into something more than respect and admiration. He had become so strong and handsome, he was goofy and ridiculous, but most of all he was home. Everything Sakura ever wanted from someone Naruto had it and then some.

"I think you're an amazing ninja as well," Naruto complimented, snapping Sakura from her thoughts. She looked at him and stifled a laugh. "I'm serious, I mean you were always smart and beautiful and talented, but now..." Naruto trailed off and Sakura blushed, she didn't realize he thought she was all that amazing.

She always figured Naruto had a crush on her and nothing more, but maybe she was wrong all this time. "I learned from you," Sakura said and Naruto gave her a quizzical stare. "I couldn't let you and Sasuke surpass me." She winked at him and Naruto chuckled a bit, leaning back in his seat.

"You'll always have the best right hook out of all of us," Naruto told her and they both began laughing.

* * *

Ino stood quietly beside Shikamaru as he and Kakashi were discussing Takahiro Kuzuryu. Tsunade was sitting behind her desk with her arms laid on the armrest of her chair. She watched them closely with her amber eyes, Kakashi and Yamato had explained everything they had seen in the small fishing village not far from the Leaf. To say the least, Ino was getting worried now. This Takahiro fellow was collecting soul for some reason and the assumption was to preform some sort of ritual that would be needed to resurrect the nine dragons the Kuzuryu once worshiped and used as weapons. Ino was just a piece of the puzzle or they were assuming she was since she resembled this Princess Ai so closely.

"We'll need to search all our archives to see what he could possibly be collecting so many souls for," Shikamaru said and looked to the Hokage, who leaned forward on her desk and rested her chin on her knuckles. "In any case it's safe to assume he'll be needing a mass amount of souls if he took out an entire village. We need to locate him and quickly, it'd be better to track him down and stop him than wait around for his next move."

"With what little information we have it won't be so simple," Kakashi interjected and Shikamaru nodded in agreement. There was no doubt they would have a hard time pinning where Takahiro would be. "I had my hounds search the entire area, they couldn't even trace a scent." The silver haired jounin sighed softly and shook his head.

"Just as well, we'll be pre-cautious," Tsunade spoke and everyone looked at her. The busty woman sighed heavily and leaned back in her seat, her amber eyes fell to Ino. "Considering the fact that Ino looks like this Princess Ai, we'll have to put you under protection. He could very well come after you if he needs you for this ritual."

"I understand," Ino said with a nod. Shikamaru looked at Ino and sighed softly before turning back to Tsunade.

"We need to find out more about this ritual," Yamato spoke up and everyone turned to the man. "I'm sure the collection of the souls and Chizuru's death and this Princess Ai figure are all connected."

Everyone agreed with that. Takahiro was lucky that no one knew much about his clan, but Shikamaru was slowly thinking up a plan. According to the Mizukage, very few members of the Kuzuryu clan had survived the destruction of the village, there was no telling if they would be involved. Shikamaru intended on finding out though, he had a plan to search out those survivors and find more out about the ritual. And most importantly why Takahiro was doing all of this in the first place.

"I plan to find the remaining surviving family members of the Kuzuryu clan," Shikamaru announced. "While I was in Kiri I managed to find the whereabouts of two of the survivors, I suggest we deploy two squads and bring them in for questioning."

"Very well," Tsunade agreed with a nod. "First thing tomorrow I will deploy Team Eight and Team Seven to retrieve them. I suspect you already have the coordinates." The Hokage looked at Shikamaru and he nodded his head pulling a scroll from his vest pocket and placed it down on the desk.

"We'll be ready to leave by morning," Kakashi said with a bow. Tsunade looked to the man and nodded back before he vanished in a puff of smoke. Yamato too bowed and left the room in a puff of smoke as well.

"In the mean time, keep searching for information on that Soul Collecting Jutsu," Tsunade said looking to Shikamaru and Ino. They both nodded in understanding and the Hokage smiled at the two of them. "You're dismissed." Thanking her, Shikamaru and Ino both bowed and quietly walked out of her office.

When Shikamaru shut the door he looked back to Ino, who seemed very worried and nervous. He walked up to her and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently. "Everything will be okay, Ino, I promise."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the wait there everyone, I've been distracted with my other stories. But this one is not forgotten I assure you! Special thanks you to everyone who commented on the last chapter, it's greatly appreciated! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, until next time!


	17. Fighter

**Fighter**

Three days later, Ino found herself in the flower shop. She was helping her mother open up for the day before going out to train later in the afternoon. Still she hadn't told Shikamaru about the fact of her being pregnant, she hadn't told anyone at all. Blindly, Ino watered the plants and just stared into space. She wouldn't be able to keep it a secret for much longer, especially with the training she was doing. The moment Heisuke would find out he would probably call the training off since it was so hard on the body.

Swallowing, Ino shook her head and snapped back into reality. She finished watering the displays up by the front window and walked over to the door. It was a nice day out, so she decided to leave the door open and let in the fresh air. Walking to the counter, Ino put the watering can down and sighed softly. Her mind was everywhere but at work, she just couldn't help herself. She felt guilty about not having told anyone about the pregnancy, not her mother or Sakura, but most of all Shikamaru.

At the same time though she didn't want to stress him out more than he already was. He had been working with Kakashi and Yamato day in and day out trying to find out what Takahiro's next move would be. Raking her fingers through her hair, Ino did it up in a bun to occupy her trembling hands for a few moments. She had to tell Shikamaru, she couldn't keep putting it off. Once her hair was secured into place, Ino let her hands fall onto the desk and she leaned forward. Her head hung between her shoulder blades and she closed her eyes.

"Ino." Sakura touched Ino's shoulder and she jumped. Whirling around, Ino gasped and put a hand on her chest. The pinkette furrowed her brows and gave her a worried look before laughing lightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I called you three times, are you alright?" Sakura inquired, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Sorry, I was just...thinking," Ino explained, waving the matter off as she calmed herself down. Sakura gave her a worried look and was about to ask what was really going on, but Ino interjected, "I wasn't expecting you to stop by, what's up?" she asked, putting on a smile.

"Right," Sakura smiled and shook her head, remembering why she come to see Ino before heading to work at the hospital. "I just wanted to tell you that Naruto and I are now officially dating."

"What? No way, congratulations. For him more than for you, but yay!" Ino clapped her hands together, happy for her best friend. She knew that deep down, Sakura had feelings for Naruto buried down deep inside. Naruto must have done the right thing to finally let those feelings shine through. "Good for you, Sakura." Ino hugged her friend and Sakura giggled hugging her friend back.

"Thank you," Sakura said as she pulled away and was smiling like an idiot. Ino couldn't help, but laugh at the pinkette's excitement. "So how are you and Shikamaru doing?" While it wasn't official between the two, Shikamaru and Ino were practically dating. He checked on her periodically and he had dinner with her every night since his return.

"We're good," Ino said with a nod and Sakura smiled, happy to hear that. When the blonde didn't say much else though, Sakura noticed something was a bit off about Ino. She seemed a bit paler than usual and her stare was distant. It was like she was hiding something or battling within herself.

"Are you alright, Ino?" Sakura asked, being genuinely concerned for her friend.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" Ino questioned back without missing a beat. She had to keep it together otherwise Sakura would continuously probe her for answers. "I guess it's just the training I've been doing with Heisuke, it's been mentally stressful." It wasn't exactly a lie, she was tired from the training. Of course, the real reason was she was so upset with herself for not telling Shikamaru about the pregnancy and now she was lying to Sakura. The weight just kept piling onto her shoulders and soon she would break down.

"I see," Sakura said, but it didn't look like she was really believing it. "Maybe you should rest for the day, cause you seem ill." Sakura put a hand on her friend's forehead. Her temperature was fine, but Sakura noticed she felt a bit clammy to the touch.

"I can't stop now, I have to be able to defend myself from Takahiro," Ino pointed out and Sakura furrowed her brows.

"Ino you don't have to worry, the village is on high alert for him," Sakura reminded her, but the blonde disagreed. She knew that Takahiro wouldn't have an easy time getting into the village, but she really believed that if he wanted to he could slip in undetected. "Seriously, take the day off, you seem really tense." Sakura gestured to the blonde's stature and gave her a warm smile.

"If I know these jutsu's though I can stop him if he gets a hold of me," Ino replied and Sakura sighed softly. "Don't worry about me, Sakura, I'm a fighter." The blonde winked and Sakura chuckled.

"Okay, but just don't overdo it," Sakura told her and Ino nodded her head, knowingly. "Well I have to get going, see you later." Waving, Sakura left the flower shop quietly and Ino smiled, waving back to her friend.

Once Sakura was gone, Ino sighed heavily and flicked her fringe out of her eyes. Tonight, she had to tell Shikamaru she was pregnant tonight and then tomorrow she would tell Heisuke. She didn't want to endanger her child, so after she told the father, she would tell everyone else. Licking her lips, Ino walked around the counter and took a seat on the stool. All of the sudden she felt extremely nervous about the whole thing.

* * *

Heisuke was walking through the training grounds when he heard the sound of electricity. He stopped at the crackling sound and walked through the trees, coming into a clearing. Leaning against a tree, Heisuke walked as Sasuke Uchiha was sending electric jolts through his katana. He was standing in the middle of four wooden post. When the Uchiha opened up his eyes, Heisuke could see that his Sharingan was activated. In one swift movement, Sasuke swung his katana around.

All four post cut in half and Heisuke smirked, clapping his hands together a few times. He gain the attention of the Uchiha, who narrowed his eyes at him. They had crossed paths a few times when he first returned to the Hidden Leaf, but otherwise the two hardly even spoke. Sasuke recalled that he was a Yamanaka, but everything else remained a mystery. Sheathing his katana, Sasuke looked over at Heisuke Yamanaka with his Sharingan still active.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked venomously and Heisuke snickered. It was probably well deserved anger and venom, because Heisuke did invade every memory Sasuke ever had upon hi return. Of course, Heisuke didn't believe that Sasuke should hold a grudge, he did it for the sake of the village and on some level, even Sasuke's own sake.

"Touchy, still upset about me probing your mind?" Heisuke inquired with a raised brow as he pushed off the tree and stood tall. The Uchiha sneered and rested his hand on the hilt of his katana. "Easy now, I was just passing by when I saw you training."

"Then continue on your way," Sasuke said darkly and Heisuke looked away. His eyes fell onto the wooden post that Sasuke had effortlessly split in half. On strength and speed alone, Sasuke had Heisuke beat, but Sasuke wouldn't be able to draw that sword before Heisuke could enter his mind and cause him great pain.

"Hold on for a second," Heisuke said, holding his hands up as if to say he came in peace. Sasuke eyed him cautiously and relaxed a bit, making Heisuke smile. "Good, I have need of your services."

"Not interested," Sasuke stated simply and Heisuke rolled his eyes.

"Even if it's to help a friend?" Heisuke tried.

"We aren't friends," Sasuke pointed out.

"Not me," Heisuke replied and Sasuke raised a brow. "I'm talking about my cousin, Ino."

"We aren't friends either," Sasuke spat and Heisuke narrowed his eyes.

"I see, but she is a friend to several of your friends is she not?" Heisuke tried, putting his hands behind his back. Sasuke sighed and was beginning to lose his patience. "Look, just one day. I need your genjutsu abilities in order to help Ino." He decided beating around the bush wasn't going to get him anywhere, so he dove right into the point.

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

"Because there is no genjutsu better than the Tsukuyomi," Heisuke replied and Sasuke raised a brow in intrigue.

"You want me to cast that on Ino, she could get hurt," Sasuke pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Good," Heisuke answered and Sasuke tilted his head in confusion. "We're mind walkers, if we can't disarm a powerful genjutsu...we don't deserve the title. Just think about it, we'll be at Training Ground 10 tomorrow at noon." With that Heisuke put his hands in front of himself and vanished into a puff of smoke.

* * *

"A lead is a lead," Shikamaru said simply as they stood in the Hokage's office. Kakashi stood to his right and Yamato to his left. The Hokage was sitting at her desk with her fingers laced together and her eyes front. "Even if he gets away, finding his hide out might point us in the right direction. We have no idea what he's planning for sure and we're wasting time," Shikamaru stated and Tsunade looked at the young shinobi, impressed by his resilience. She knew what this meant to him.

"Very well then," Tsunade said with a nod as she unlaced her fingers and sat up straight in her chair. "Assemble a team and find out."

"Already done," Shikamaru replied as he put an envelope down in front of her. The blonde woman smirked and took the envelope, pulling out the documents inside. As she read over the parameter of the mission and the people going, Tsunade furrowed her brows.

"You aren't going?" Tsunade asked in surprise.

"No, you need a team of trackers," Shikamaru explained and Tsunade nodded, understanding his point completely. "Kiba, Kakashi, Naruto, and Hinata will be able to handle this mission just fine."

Tsunade nodded again and looked to Kakashi. "You leave in one hour."

"Yes ma'am," Kakashi said with a bow and vanished into thin air to alert the other members of his team.

"You're sure about this, Shikamaru?" the woman asked, she knew he was brilliant and probably the smartest ninja in all of the Land of Fire, but she wanted to be sure he was using his head. This mission was a personal matter to him since it involved someone close to him, one mistake could cost several fine shinobi their lives.

"It's our best chance," Shikamaru replied simply and Tsunade smiled at him.

"Very well, keep up the good work then," Tsunade said and Shikamaru bowed. "You're both dismissed."

* * *

"But Heisuke," Ino tried, but the man held up his hand.

"Trust me, you need the day off cause tomorrow we have harsher training," Heisuke told her and she sighed heavily. "Besides, I have work to do at the Torture and Interrogation Unit today, so rest up and I'll see you tomorrow at Training Ground 10," Heisuke said and walked out of the flower shop not wanting to hear anymore of her protest. Pursing her lips, Ino waved the matter off and decided to take his advice.

They had been working hard the past few days anyways and with the whole pregnancy thing, it was probably for the best. Taking off her apron, Ino walked to the back office where her mom was going over deliveries.

"I'm going to take off for the rest of the day, will you be okay?" Ino asked her mother as she hung up her apron.

"I'll be fine, you look like you could use some free time," her mother replied, giving Ino a kind smile. Nodding in agreement, Ino told her mother she would be back by dinner and left the office. When she came back to the front desk, she looked up and smiled as Shikamaru came walking in.

"Hey, I thought you weren't coming back until later," Ino said as he arrived at the counter. He leaned against it and shrugged his shoulders. "I was about to go get some dango, want to come?" she asked with a smile.

"Sure." He nodded and the two made their way out of the flower shop, walking side by side. As they strolled down the street, Ino snuck a few glances at Shikamaru and bit her lip nervously. She knew she had to tell him about the pregnancy, but for some stupid reason she was too afraid to do it. What if he freaked out? What if he ran away? What if he got mad? All these thoughts just kept bubbling in her mind. She couldn't even think of anything good to come out of it. They were much too young to be having a child, hell they were still children themselves for the most part.

As Ino was mulling over her thoughts, she felt Shikamaru's hand take hold of hers. She glanced down at their hands as his fingers laced through with hers. A smile came onto her face and she leaned against him. Ino felt a little guilty for thinking that Shikamaru would react so negatively to her pregnancy. He was a responsible man and he was very reasonable, he wouldn't abandon her. Shikamaru was always there for her, always ready to prove her wrong about anything and everything good and bad.

"So how is the research going?" Ino asked.

"I just sent a recon team out," Shikamaru replied and Ino looked at him. "We think we might have found his hide out."

"How come you didn't go with them?" she asked curiously.

"I couldn't leave you, besides if we're wrong we need to keep working on finding more leads," Shikamaru explained and Ino smiled up at him. She loved the fact that he cared so much and wanted to stay by her side. It made her feel safe and protected, not that she wasn't even if he left, but it made her feel better knowing it was him. "I promised everything would be okay and I wasn't lying." He smiled at her and Ino's blue eyes sparkled up at him.

She had to tell him about the baby, she just had to.

"I know you weren't," Ino said softly as they stopped in front of a tea house that sold the best dango in the village. "Shikamaru-"

"Well look at the two lovebirds on their little date," Chouji's voice came as he walked around a corner. Ino and Shikamaru both turned to their friend as he walked up. "Out to lunch?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Ino replied with a nod. "Heisuke called off training today."

"I know, you've been working really hard and he just doesn't want you to over do it," Chouji explained and Ino smiled weakly, nodding her head knowingly. "He mentioned he was bringing someone else tomorrow."

"What? Who?" Ino asked slightly concerned about what her cousin was planning.

"I don't know, I guess we'll see tomorrow," Chouji replied with a shrug. "Mind if I join you guys?" he gestured to the restaurant behind them.

"Not at all," Shikamaru said, but Ino wanted to say yes. She couldn't tell Shikamaru about the pregnancy with Chouji there. Deciding to just go back to telling him at dinner, Ino smiled at Chouji and welcomed him with open arms.


	18. Falling

**Falling**

Lunch with her teammates had been better than Ino would have thought. It reminded her of their younger days back when they trained under Asuma. She wondered how proud he was of them. Even though Asuma had said he had nothing more to teach them, Ino as well as her other teammates still missed him. She could also bet that Asuma could have taught them much more. Especially now with the training regiment Heisuke had her on. He was a true drill sergeant and showed no mercy, Ino knew she couldn't keep her pregnancy from them much longer. Training so intensively while pregnant was not good.

The blonde was so lost in her own thoughts she didn't even realize that Shikamaru was calling her name. By the third time, Shikamaru put a hand on her shoulder. She bristled a bit, mostly because she was caught off guard. Letting out a breath, Ino apologized for spacing out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. He gave her a worried look and questioned if something was wrong. Ino wanted to tell him about the pregnancy, about the training, about how she was scared of that Takahiro person, and all these little things that were just overflowing. The most important thing was the pregnancy though, that affected him just as much as it would her.

Shikamaru was a good man, he wouldn't abandon her for anything. Or she was hoping he wouldn't at least. When the blue-eyed girl opened her mouth to speak, she quickly closed it and cursed inwardly at herself. She felt like such a coward.

_Just rip the bandaid off, Ino! _She snapped at herself and caught Shikamaru's dark eyes studying her curiously. "There's something important I have to tell you," Ino explained softly and Shikamaru tilted his head.

"What is it?" he asked, gesturing for her to tell him as they stood at the end of her street corner just down the way she could see the flower shop and her house. It was late in the afternoon with the sun hidden behind white fluffy clouds. Ino was almost positive Shikamaru would want to go nap after having such a delicious lunch.

"Shika!"a little voice piped.

Shikamaru and Ino both turned to the sound, seeing a little girl with dark hair and chocolate brown eyes running towards them. She had little pigtails that sprouted out of her head and she was dressed in a simple light blue kimono with pink floral designs on the hem lines. Her wooden sandals clapped on the gravel ground as she clumsily ran up. Shikamaru chuckled when the little girl crashed into his legs and wrapped her little arms around them.

When Ino witnessed the action and watched as Shikamaru scooped the little girl up and held her in his arms, she felt her heart melt. She knew then that she had to tell him about their unborn child. The little girl was hugging him tightly and rambling about how she missed him and wanted to play with him.

"Chise!" Kurenai Yuhi, the child's mother, called out as she came around the corner holding a grocery bag. "What did I tell you about running off like that?" her mother scolded, shaking her head as she approached the two.

"But mom, Shika-sensei is here!" Chise, her daughter, whined as she clung to Shikamaru. Her dark haired mother with the unique red eyes just sighed and shook her head. "He protects me!" Chise declared and Ino giggled at the little girl's admiration of her 'Shikamaru-sensei'.

"She saw you two walking by the window and just had to see you," Kurenai explained, looking at Shikamaru and then to Ino. Neither one of them minded at all, it wasn't very often they got to see Chise or Kurenai since they were always so busy with missions and training. Before when Chise was two, Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji used to play with her on the weekends. Eventually though they couldn't spend that much time with her so the visits became less and less frequent. This was the first time they had seen both Chise and Kurenai in almost three months. "She's been asking to see you guys a lot lately," Kurenai said with a smile.

"Yeah, how come you don't play with me anymore?" Chise asked, sounding very hurt. Ino laughed lightly and gave the little girl a soft smile while Shikamaru tapped her nose with his finger.

"We're sorry, Chise, but we've been very busy," Shikamaru explained to the child.

"Can you play with me now?" Chise asked with a hopeful glow in her eyes. Ino stared at the child for a moment and turned to Shikamaru, who looked back at her as if asking what he should tell Chise. "Please!" Chise begged, clinging to Shikamaru's neck.

"Chise, they have things to do, sweetheart," Kurenai cooed, trying to intervene in her motherly ways. The little girl didn't seem to like that at all though and was about ready to cry. "Oh, Chise," Kurenai sighed as she shook her head when she saw the tears welling up.

"Of course we can play with you today," Ino blurted out and Shikamaru looked at her in surprise. He didn't think Ino was up for baby-sitting, she was talking about how all the training she'd been doing had her so exhausted. After he got her home, he was planning on just laying around with her until she fell asleep before he went back to do some research on Takahiro.

"Really?" Chise exclaimed happily.

"Yes!" Ino agreed with a nod. "We can bring her back in a couple of hours, Kurenai-sensei," she offered to the child's mother.

"Are you sure?" Kurenai asked, she trusted those two with her child and knew they would protect her.

"Yeah, we'll go to the park," Ino explained with a smile. "Go relax for a few hours." Waving her off, Ino turned back to Chise and winked. The little girl clapped her hands together and told her mom she would behave herself.

"Okay, thank you," Kurenai said with a smile and waved before turning around to head back towards the street her apartment was on. When Kurenai was around the corner Chise thanked Ino for agreeing to play with her. Ino told her she was more than happy to play with her and they set off for the park just a few blocks down.

* * *

Shikamaru sat on a bench under the shade of a large oak tree and watched Ino and Chise at the swing-set. The little girl was sitting on a swing and laughed as Ino pushed her higher and higher. He smiled warmly as he watched the two girls. They were talking about something, but he couldn't really hear them. Lifting up his arms, Shikamaru laid them down on the back of the bench and relaxed into his seat. This was the first time in a long time that he'd been able to relax this way.

He didn't have a single care in the world for those few moments. It reminded him of the days he would cloud watch while hiding from Asuma. He chuckled lightly at the countless times he'd tried to hide from Asuma. Not that he could really call it hiding since he always went to the same places. Eventually, Asuma stopped trying to make him train all the time and they would both lay out on a grass knoll and enjoy the day. He missed his sensei and he wished that Asuma could be there to watch Chise. Shikamaru knew for a fact that Asuma would be putty in that little girl's hands.

A gentle breeze whipped by and Shikamaru looked up at the clouds. Long gone were the days when he dreamed of being a cloud. He was important now and constantly sought after by feudal lords, but he always declined the jobs. In reality, Shikamaru only wanted to be Naruto's advisor once he became Hokage. Sometimes he felt like Tsunade's advisor whenever he helped her with paperwork.

"Shika-sensei you're supposed to be playing with us!" the four year old shouted as she continued swinging. Ino giggled as she pushed Chise and glanced over at Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru sitting on a bench is his way of playing, Chise," Ino told the little girl and Shikamaru scoffed.

He got to his feet and walked over to the swing set. Leaning against the pole, Shikamaru looked at Ino, who smiled at him. "You make me sound like such a stick in the mud," he muttered and Ino stifled a laugh.

"Stick in the mud, bump on the log, you are those things," Ino teased and the shinobi genius snorted, rolling his eyes. "We still love you for it though, right Chise?" Ino asked as she pushed the girl once more.

"Yep!" Chise chimed with a bright smile and Shikamaru chuckled softly. He walked over to Ino, standing so very close to her. She felt his warmth radiating to the bare skin of her arm. Biting her lip, Ino glanced up at Shikamaru and he stared down at her. "Ino-sensei! Don't let Shika-sensei kiss you! He'll give you cooties!" the little girl gasped, when she saw the two of them inches away from each other's lips.

The little girl's sudden outburst startled the two, so they quickly pulled away. Ino laughed, "You're right, Chise."

Shikamaru shook his head and shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. He never understood girl's and their whole cooties ordeal. If he wanted to be a smart-ass he could have said Ino was already covered with his cooties, but Chise was far too young to be exposed to such knowledge. When he thought about that night with Ino, that first night they slept together his nerve endings felt like they were on fire. He could still feel her touch, he could still taste her, and hear he soft moans.

His mind went as far back as to the dance. The way she whispered his name and enticed him to dance with her. She was so beautiful that night in those neon lights and then her clumsy drunken walk home. He still felt the electricity from that kiss and he remembered how nervous and skeptical he was about it all. Shikamaru didn't regret it at all though and in a way, he knew it was right. He couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't be doing it sooner?

When he looked at Ino, a smile tugged on the corners of his mouth. She was the loud, troublesome, bratty, blonde he always dreaded being around. Now though, Ino Yamanaka, was a beautiful, talented, and skilled kuniochi that he had fallen for. All he could hope was that Ino felt the same way about him.

"I'm hungry," Chise said as she used her feet to stop herself from swinging. "Can we got get ice cream?" she asked excitedly as she hopped off the swing.

"Yeah, Shikamaru let's go get some ice cream," Ino said, nudging him in the ribs. He gave Ino an annoyed look and sighed, agreeing to take the two girls out for some ice cream. Cheering in excitement, Chise started running towards the front entrance of the park and shouted for the two 'slowpokes' to hurry up. "Or maybe ice cream isn't such a good idea," ino whispered to him with a light-hearted chuckle.

"Ya think?" he chided with a snort. Ino shrugged her shoulders and Shikamaru smiled as he put his arm around her waist, leading her on. She smiled at his touch and glanced up at him, trying her best to hide her flushed cheeks.

* * *

"And that's why chocolate is the best flavor," Chise finished after having spent the past ten minutes explaining why chocolate was the best flavor. Ino was chuckling on the other side of the table as she put a spoonful of vanilla with caramel ribbons. Sitting beside Ino, Shikamaru sat amused by the little girl's descriptive reasoning for chocolate being the best flavor of ice cream. He shook his head and laid his arm against the back of Ino's chair, gently stroking her arm with his finger tips. "But the most important thing about chocolate is that it makes people happy." Chise licked her cone after speaking and put on a big smile.

"Yes, it really does," Ino agreed with a nod and glanced at Shikamaru.

"I still like birthday cake flavor the most," Shikamaru stated and both girls sighed.

"He doesn't get it," the two girl's said in unison and Shikamaru laughed. "It's getting late, Chise, we better get you home." Ino noticed that the sun had finally gone down and the light was fading from the sky. The street lights had come on and people were closing up their shops for the evening.

"Aw! Just a little longer!" Chise begged. "What if I never see you two again?"

"What are you talking about? We're always here in the village," Shikamaru said as he looked at Chise. He couldn't deny he felt a bit guilty of not being able to play with her as often as he used too. It was just hard to get away when the chuunin exams had been going on in the Leaf and he was helping Tsunade and even subbed at the Ninja Academy from time to time. Of course, what really had him busy lately was the whole Takahiro ordeal.

"Yeah, but you two are always busy," Chise muttered sadly as she poked at her ice cream. "I miss you guys," she whispered, staring down at the table. Ino looked at Shikamaru, who looked right back at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, just for a little bit longer though," Ino told her.

Chise looked up at her and beamed brightly, thanking them both. She started eating her ice cream again and Ino watched her. Watching Chise for the evening made Ino wonder if it would be the same as watching her own child. Her blue eyes glanced at Shikamaru, who was admiring the wall decor around the ice cream parlor. Biting her lip, Ino scooped up a tiny bit of ice cream and brought it towards Shikamaru's mouth. He looked at the spoon in front of his face and blinked before turning his attention to Ino. She shook it slightly in front of his face.

"I don't-"

Ino shoved the spoon in his mouth.

"...want any," Shikamaru completed as he let the ice cream melt in his mouth and onto his tongue. Both Chise and Ino laughed at him as he let the cold food melt in his mouth. "Thanks," he grumbled.

"You're welcome," Ino said gleefully with a wink.

* * *

Takahiro Kuzuryu stood in the middle of the street, admiring the large stone faces of the past Hokage. In the fading light the faces almost seemed ominous. He heard laughter coming from his right and turned to the sound. It was a young woman with shoulder length pink hair walking alongside a young man with spiky blond hair. Takahiro tilted his head slightly as he saw the girl's glorious green eyes, greener than emeralds and so pure.

_Ai...her eye is just like Ai's. I can complete her eyes now, _Takahiro thought as he watched the young couple walk onward. They didn't seem to notice him at all because they were so caught up in each other. He decided to follow behind them for a little bit, but kept his distance to not seem too suspicious.

"Okay, I'll admit you did alright," the pink haired girl said with a wave of her hand.

"Just alright? That's all I get? Come on, Sakura," the blond boy grumbled, placing his hands behind his head.

"If that was the best you can kiss, Naruto Uzumaki, you have a lot to learn," Sakura scolded him and he chuckled. "I've had pillows kiss better than you," she snorted and Naruto's mouth fell open. That was just one insult he was not going to let pass. Grabbing her arm, Sakura gasped when Naruto pulled her around and pressed his lips onto hers. His hands snaked around her hips and pulled her close and his lips meshed perfectly against hers.

Her hands raised up onto his shoulders and she pushed herself up onto her toes. When they pulled apart a few moments later, Sakura had a blush on her cheeks and a glimmer in her green eyes. Naruto smirked at her and knew that he had pretty much sent her over the edge. "So?" Naruto chimed with a wiggle of his brows.

"Hold on for a second, let me just see something," Sakura said, pushing herself onto her toes and captured Naruto's lips in a passionate kiss. He stumbled back a step and smiled against the kiss, but quickly took control. Pushing her back up against a wall, Naruto put his hands on either side of her and kept her pinned beneath his body.

"HEY! GET A ROOM!" Ino's voice shrieked from down the street. "Keep it PG! We have young eyes over here!" she barked and the two quickly broke away and looked over at her. Naruto snorted and spotted the young girl standing in between Shikamaru and Ino.

Takahiro shrank back into the shadows of the alleyway and saw as Ai's doppelgänger appeared before him. She was a perfect replica aside from her eyes, but her face, her lips, hair, body, and even voice was all the same. He watched the girl closely as she spoke amongst her friends, laughing and smiling happily. Soon he would be able to retrieve her and finish his creation to bring Ai back and summon the nine dragons. First he would have to collect the other eye he needed before he would capture the doppelgänger.

"We have a mission tomorrow, don't forget, Naruto."

"Shikamaru, I never forget my missions," Naruto said with a proud smile as he slung his arm over Sakura's petite frame. She smiled at him and shook her head. "Come on, Sakura, I'll take you home."

"Yeah, goodnight you guys," Sakura said with a wave as she and Naruto walked off in one direction and Shikamaru, Ino, and Chise went in the other. Takahiro decided he'd followed long enough and would attack the girl with the pink hair soon. Fading into the shadows, Takahiro vanished without a trace.

It didn't take long for Ino and Shikamaru to get Chise back home to her mother. Right after saying their goodbyes to Sakura and Naruto, they went around a corner and arrived at Kurenai's apartment complex. The little girl hugged them both and thanked them for playing with her and taking her out for ice cream. Kurenai thanked them as well and they left, heading back in the direction of Ino's house a few blocks down the road.

As they walked, Ino was trying to think of the best way to bring up the pregnancy. She had all day to think of a way and she still didn't know how. The more she thought about it the more sick and anxious it made her. She snuck glances at Shikamaru as they walked side by side. He was staring straight ahead and had a lazy look in his eyes, she could see he was tired. Sighing softly, Ino tried to calm herself and stiffened when she felt Shikamaru's hand take hers. Their fingers slowly laced together and a smile came onto her face.

"Shikamaru," Ino breathed and stopped walking.

He stopped as well and turned to look at her. "What's wrong?"

"For the past few days, I have been wanting to tell you something," Ino explained to him and he nodded slowly. "I just don't know how to tell you."

"Ino you can tell me anything, you know that," Shikamaru assured her with a gentle smile. Even though she knew that it did make her feel better when he said it right then and there. After all the next words to come out of her mouth would change his life forever. "Tell me what's wrong." He looked at her, really looking into her eyes and searched for an answers.

Ino swallowed hard and closed her eyes. "I'm...pregnant," she said softly and opened up her eyes to meet his gaze. Her heart was pounding a million miles a minute and her hands started to get clammy. When her eyes fell onto his face she could see the shock, the worry, the fear, and the excitement boiling in his eyes.

"Come again," Shikamaru choked out.

"It's yours," Ino whispered and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Pregnant?" Shikamaru repeated in question and Ino nodded her head slowly. "You're sure about this?" he questioned.

"Yeah, I'm positive," Ino replied firmly, staring at him showing no signs of wavering.

"Are you sure you took the test right?" Shikamaru asked and Ino sighed heavily.

"You pee on a stick, Shikamaru! It's idiot proof!" Ino snapped and he stared at her, letting out a heavy breath. Of all the things he had expected her to say that was the last thing. "So?"

"We're having a baby," Shikamaru said softly with a smile.


	19. Promises

**Promises**

"You're certain?" Tsunade asked Kakashi, who nodded once in response. The blonde woman licked her lips before turning her attention back to the map. Kakashi and Yamato had pinpointed a possible location of Takahiro Kuzuryu. If they were right in their location, they could bring him down. Tsunade wanted that more than anything, she didn't want Ino to be terrorized anymore, let alone the rest of the shinobi and civilians in the Land of Fire. "Take three others and be careful."

Kakashi nodded his head and turned back to the door. He pulled the door open only to find Shikamaru and Naruto standing on the other side. The jounin leader stepped aside to let the two men into the room.

"You found the location?" Shikamaru asked, having eavesdropped on part of the conversation.

"So it would seem, but there is a slight chance we're wrong," Kakashi replied as he shut the door, deciding to fill the two in before departing.

Shikamaru sighed softly and nodded his head. Three days ago, he had found out about Ino's pregnancy and the following day they told everyone else. Needless to say many people were shocked, but they were also happy for them. Due to the pregnancy, Shikamaru had asked Tsunade to have people watch over her in case Takahiro decided to make a move. The Hokage obliged him and upped the importance on tracking Takahiro and bringing him down. There was no doubt that they would find him, Shikamaru knew they would. The only problem was could they find him before he got more people.

He'd spent the last couple of days researching the Soul Collector's Jutsu. Luckily for him, Shiho had found some works on it. While there wasn't ample information, it gave them just enough to have concrete information. According to what he had read, the jutsu was used for several purposes. One purpose in particular caught Shikamaru's eye, it was to bring someone back from the dead. Not just in an impartial way such as the Reanimation Jutsu, this one fully restored their life. It made them mortal again, however, only a hundred lives were needed for such a jutsu.

Takahiro was collecting hundreds of souls and was believed to be needing exactly one thousand souls. Shikamaru could only assume that Takahiro wasn't just trying to bring someone back from the dead, he was trying to make them immortal. There were still many holes in his theory and assumptions, but they were a lot closer than they had been in weeks.

"And you're going now?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, I'm getting a team ready and we'll leave at first light," Kakashi explained, looking at both of them.

"Did you already have a team in mind?" Shikamaru inquired.

"Yes," Kakashi answered with a single nod. "You should stay here, Shikamaru. Ino needs you to be here until we get this all sorted out, it's for the best."

"I agree with you," Shikamaru paused and rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm just curious about who you are bringing."

"Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyuga, and Naruto," Kakashi said, looking to the blond.

"Me?" Naruto asked in surprise, placing a hand on his chest. He loved going on missions, but tracking missions weren't really his forte. When Kakashi nodded to him, Naruto looked at Shikamaru, who shrugged not seeing an issue with it. "Tracking isn't exactly my speciality, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto reminded him with small smile.

"I know, but you hit hard enough and if he's there we'll need that," Kakashi explained, causing the blond to chuckle.

"Don't take this lightly, Takahiro is more dangerous than he's letting on," Tsunade chided, earning the attention of the three men in the room. "Be careful and be smart."

"We always are, Lady Hokage," Kakashi assured her with a slight bow before he quietly exited the room. When the door closed, Shikamaru and Naruto turned back to Tsunade.

"So what brings you two here?" the Hokage asked, leaning back in her chair.

"I wanted to ask you if you had anything on the Reanimation Jutsu," Shikamaru explained, causing the Hokage to furrow her brows in confusion. "The Soul Collector Jutsu is quite similar, but I want to be sure."

"What have you found out?" Tsunade asked, resting her elbows on the desk.

"It seems that the Reanimation Jutsu is the parent jutsu to the Soul Collector Jutsu," Shikamaru explained.

"Unfortunately, we don't," Tsunade replied softly and Shikamaru furrowed his brows. "After the Fourth Shinobi World War, the Kage decided to destroy any information we had on the Reanimation Jutsu as a way to keep such events from happening again," Tsunade finished, looking at the genius apologetically.

"It's alright," Shikamaru replied, waving the matter off. While having information would have been better, Shikamaru was still fairly certain that the jutsu's were the same. And if that were the case, it would mean that Takahiro was attempting to bring someone back from the dead. In his gut, Shikamaru had a feeling that person was Princess Ai. "We just have to find Takahiro before he can finish the jutsu."

"Don't worry, we will," Naruto said and Shikamaru turned to him, nodding in agreement.

* * *

Despite what Shikamaru, Tsunade, and her mother's orders, Ino had gone to the training ground to train. Heisuke had caught her there and gave her a lecture about training while pregnant. He told her that straining her mind to much could send her body into overload, causing her to stress out, meaning she could very well lose the baby. Ino didn't listen though, she insisted that a little training wouldn't hurt anything, that she would be careful and not over do it.

"Ino enough, you can't train while you're pregnant," Heisuke scolded her, crossing his arms over his chest. The young woman turned to her cousin and scowled.

"Heisuke, if the enemy comes after me this jutsu might be the one thing that can save me," Ino justified, only earning and sigh from Heisuke. "I need to be able to defend myself. Pregnant or not, it's better to be safe than sorry." She looked at her cousin, who shook his head, seeming too annoyed to argue with her.

"There's nowhere safer for you than this village, Ino," Sasuke Uchiha's voice came from behind and she whirled around. There he stood in all black ninja gear with a white and dark blue haori draped over his shoulders and tied around his waist by a crimson sash. "The Hokage's made sure of that." His hand was lazily rested on the hilt of his katana and his dark eyes were on her like a hawk.

"I would feel better knowing I didn't have to depend on you or anyone else," Ino stated firmly, earning a snort from Sasuke as he approached them. She trusted Sasuke, she knew he had made up for the bad he'd done, but she still didn't feel entirely safe with him as her personal guard. Even Shikamaru didn't really like it, but Sasuke was one of the best equipped to defend her from Takahiro. "I'm doing this and nothing you say is going to stop me," Ino declared haughtily, earning an eye roll from Sasuke.

"Ino you're being ridiculous," Heisuke huffed with a shake of his head.

"I have to do this," Ino affirmed with her fist clenched at her sides and eyes burning with passion. "If Takahiro gets a hold of me, I have to be able to stop him."

"We wouldn't let that happen," Heisuke assured her, but the blonde girl just shook her head. She knew they wouldn't, but they weren't listening to her. If for whatever reason she was taken by Takahiro, knowing her clan's special jutsus could put an end to it all. They couldn't keep waiting to find him.

"I know, but this might be the only way to stop him," Ino said simply and Heisuke narrowed his eyes at her, he finally understood what Ino was getting at. "If Takahiro gets me and I can use your Mind Stunning technique, I can kill him."

"The hell we're letting you do that," Shikamaru's voice came sharply. Ino flinched at the harshness in his tone and slowly turned to face him. His eyes were on her like a hungry lion on an animal carcass. "You should be taking it easy, Ino. Let us handle Takahiro."

"I'm doing this," Ino fumed with glaring eyes, causing Shikamaru to scowl. "I have to do this." She was about to do some hand signs, but Sasuke walked over to her. He activated his Mangekyo Sharingan and stared into Ino's eyes.

"Sleep," Sasuke commanded, but Ino refused him and placed her hand on his forehead in one swift movement. His eyes quickly went back to normal and he started groaning in pain. "What the hell!" he growled as he felt a strong pain in his head, almost to the point of being unbearable. He crumbled to his knees and put a hand to his head as Ino stepped back from him, holding her middle, forefinger, and thumb in an upright position while her ring and pinky finger were curled into her palm.

"Ino stop it!" Heisuke warned darkly. "Mind Stunning can cause you to black out as well." When the blond didn't let up, Heisuke decided to intervene. Making a few hand signs, Heisuke closed his eyes and forced his psyche into Ino's mind.

Shikamaru stood still, watching the scene unravel before him. Sasuke was crying out in pain as Ino continued to torture his mind. He was about to use his shadow's to restrain Ino, but suddenly she stopped and Sasuke panted heavily. Heisuke's eyes came open and Ino started walking away, heading in the direction of the village. When she passed Shikamaru, he noticed that her eyes were glazed over.

"What did you do, Heisuke?" Shikamaru asked, slightly worried.

"It's a form of compulsion, I entered her mind and commanded her to go home and rest, not to return the training grounds until I said so," Heisuke explained simply, watching his young cousin walking away. He shook his head and turned his attention to Sasuke. "Mind Stunning is one of the most effective tools against those who are masters of genjutsu's, but her's is still imperfect." Heisuke walked over to Sasuke and held his hand out to him.

"So what's imperfect feel like? Cause that wasn't exactly painless," Sasuke commented as he took Heisuke's hand.

Pulling Sasuke up to his feet, Heisuke sighed softly and looked over at Shikamaru. "Mind Stunning is powerful enough to kill a person, causing aneurisms in the brain. You could have very well hemorrhaged if Ino had a perfect jutsu. Right now, at best, Ino could send you into a coma."

"Maybe she's right then," Sasuke said.

"No way, that's not even an option," Shikamaru interjected harshly, causing Sasuke to roll his eyes.

"You want to stop Takahiro, that Mind Stunning thing is the way to do it. I couldn't move, couldn't think, all I knew was that I was in a lot of pain." Sasuke was staring at Shikamaru, who had shoved his hands into his pockets and shook his head, refusing the idea.

"If she wasn't pregnant, I'd side with you, but Shikamaru is right," Heisuke paused, "that isn't an option. Learning to do this jutsu can put the body into shock, she could lose the baby."

"We'll find Takahiro and put an end to him without using Ino as bait," Shikamaru stated firmly, showing that he wouldn't change his mind at all. He sighed and turned on his heels, heading after Ino to make sure she was okay before he went back to doing more research on the Soul Collector Jutsu.

* * *

"I can take care of myself," Ino grumbled as she sat in the middle of her living room, folding some laundry. Shikamaru was leaning on the doorjamb and sighed softly. She was furious with them, particularly at Heisuke for using compulsion on her. He understood her anger, but he also wanted to keep her and their baby safe. "That man killed Chizuru, and all those innocent villagers. If he takes me and I can using that jutsu, we can finally take him down and put all of this behind us."

Shikamaru crossed one leg over the other as he leaned against the wall. "Ino, you have to think of the baby too," he explained and she looked up at him, placing her hand on her small bump. "Just leave Takahiro to us, I won't let anything bad happen to you or our baby, I promise." He walked over to her and knelt down beside her. His eyes searched hers and she looked away in defeat.

"I know you won't, but I just want to be able to do something," Ino explained herself and he gave her a soft smile. He sat down on the floor and scooted next to her. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her over and kissed the top of her head. She smiled and rested her head on his chest. "I don't want to be useless."

"You are not 'useless', Ino." He gently stroked her arm, trying to sooth and comfort her. Shikamaru knew Ino was a talented shinobi, gifted in arranging flowers, and she was quite the decorator and organizer. She was smart and caring and she always did her best, but this self-doubt had always been her down fall. "You're a great friend, a talented shinobi, beautiful, and caring. And one other important thing."

"What's that?" she prompted, looking up into his eyes.

"You're going to be an amazing mother," he whispered in her ear, causing her to laugh lightly and smile. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and looked back at him. He nodded to her and smiled, leaning forward and captured her lips.

Ino straightened up and turned her body. Her lips pressed gently against his, nibbling at his lower lip, Shikamaru deepened the kiss. Ino smiled against his lips and crawled onto him, straddling his hips with her legs. His hands traveled up her legs to her waist, holding her firmly in place. She placed her hands gently on his chest and pulled away from him.

"You really believe that?" she asked him.

"I promise you that you are going to be an amazing mother," he said, pecking her lips. Ino wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him again. "I love you, Ino."

"I love you too," she said softly, resting her forehead against his.


End file.
